Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down
by Kaira-chan15
Summary: Prostitutes are dying one by one in London, all at the hands of a serial killer - Jack the Ripper. Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke's childhood friend, is a prostitute...can they unmask the psychopath before it's too late? Major character death warning. AU fic
1. Starting Info

A/N: This isn't actually the first chapter, but it's an intro and explanation to Jack the Ripper, because I can bet that some of you, if not a lot, don't know that much about him. I obviously can't make you read this, but I would highly suggest it, because you might be a little confused if you don't. I'm going to try to just give you the outline, but if you want more information you can wikipedia Jack the Ripper. It has very good facts on him. Also, this is my first AU fic! –squees- I'm so excited!!

First off, here's the cast:

Jack the Ripper: that's a mystery :P

Mary Ann Nichols: Tsunade

Annie Chapman: Shizune

Elizabeth Stride: Kurenai

Catherine Eddows: Temari

Mary Jane Kelly: Sakura

Frederick George Abberline: Itachi

(Sasuke will still be Itachi's younger brother, so he'll just be Sasuke Abberline)

George Lusk: Kankuro

Walter Andrews: Shikamaru

Henry Moore: Kakashi

(Naruto will be Iruka's kid and Iruka will just be Iruka Smith, a made up guy, so Naruto will be Naruto Smith)

Also, I'm not going to stick to the original ages of the characters or the people they're playing. In this story, here's how it'll go:

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura: 20 years old

Temari: 28 years old

Kurenai: 33 years old

Shizune: 35 years old

Tsunade: 43 years old

Itachi: 25 years old

Shikamaru: 29 years old

Kakashi: 30 years old

Kankuro: 39 years old

Heh pretty crazy huh? I have to do this though, to balance out the actual people they're playing.

The basic stuff is that Jack the Ripper is an alias given to a serial killer who was active in the Whitechapel area of London, a place filled with poverty and suffering, in the late 1888. The killer was never identified, never caught. Because of this, and because it would be annoying to type he/she all the time, I'll be referring to Jack the Ripper as a man.

All of his victims were women who earned a living working as prostitutes. Most of these women were overweight and unattractive (however, in the story I won't make that so because obviously the girls are pretty in Naruto). Now, Jack the Ripper was not clean in his killings. He would cut his victim's throats most of the time and sometimes mutilate them. Also, he had a habit of removing the internal organs of the women he killed. There were eleven murders stretching from April 3, 1888 to February 13, 1891 that were referred to by the police as "the Whitechapel Murders". However, only five of these have been agreed upon as being the work of Jack the Ripper. They're often called the "canonical five" victims. They're the ones that are played by the women in the cast listing.

I won't post all the details about these victims because it'll probably be brought up over the course of the story, but you can check it out on wikipedia if you'd like.

After the murder of Mary Ann Nichols, Detective Inspectors Frederick Abberline, Henry Moore, and Walter Andrews were sent from Central Office at Scotland Yard to help out.

Frederick George Abberline was a Chief Inspector for the London Metropolitan Police during the murders. He was placed in charge of the various detectives who were investigating the Ripper murders.

George Lusk was the Chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, which was a group of local volunteers who patrolled the streets of Whitechapel at night to search for the murderer.

The police were not viewed highly during this time period because of their failures in successfully capturing Jack the Ripper. They sometimes arrived at the crime scenes just moments after the Ripper had already escaped. There are multiple comics and newspaper clips mocking Scotland Yard and the Metropolitan Police.

There were multiple letters sent to the police, most thought to be hoaxes, but three were considered to be from the Ripper himself. They are titled as the "Dear Boss" and "From Hell" letters, and also the "Saucy Jacky" postcard. They're very interesting, because the Ripper's writing pattern would change. In some of them he wrote with very elegant handwriting in an educated way. However, in others he would seem very uneducated and dull and his handwriting was almost illegible. He was very cunning, it seemed. He also liked messing with the police.

Also, if you would like to "talk" to Jack the Ripper, you should check out the site /jack-the-ripper. Click enter on the bottom of the page. It's pretty cool, but of course, creepy.

Phew! That was a lot to put lol. Well hopefully you now have a pretty general idea of the setting and characters. I really hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I loved typing it, because Jack the Ripper fascinates me, especially since he was never found out, so it's still a mystery. As the story progresses, please let me know who you suspect as being Jack the Ripper, because I would love to hear your ideas. Thanks! ^_^


	2. Ch 1 Jack the Ripper

A/N: Ok, well the story is officially starting here. I know that they should have accents and a language pattern and stuff, but I'm not going to do that except for throwing in a "love" every once in a while. About halfway through the story or a little less that that, I'll be hosting a poll on my page asking you who you think Jack the Ripper is in my story. To help you out, I'll be leaving you clues in the form of specific words in the story underlined. So watch out for those, and if you're hardcore about this, you might want to write them down, because they'll help you figure out who the murderer really is. I'm contemplating if I should put false clues in there and you have to figure out which are true and which are false…I'll keep thinking about it and if I decide I'm going to do it I'll let you know.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper. If I owned Naruto I would be a millionaire, and if I owned Jack the Ripper I would be rotting in jail.

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"_Jack the Ripper was a modern killer born a hundred years too soon to be caught...." _

_~Patricia Cornwell; Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper Case Closed_

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 1: Jack the Ripper

Screams. They were what made London dangerous – especially because there were none. A serial killer was on the loose and no cries were ever echoed off the filthy walls of Whitechapel's alleyways. The absence of the agonizing wails terrified people, but not just any people.

Prostitute was a perilous title to gain in Whitechapel's East End in 1888. If you were identified as such, you might find yourself with an unexpected appointment with Jack the Ripper.

The Ripper – vengeful spirit, murderer, genius, mystery. Not even his victims knew who he was…or at least that's what the police assumed… "The language of silence is hard to read, but the dead do not lie. They may be difficult to understand, and we might misinterpret them or fail to find them before their communications have begun to fade. But if they still have something to say, their veracity is unimpeachable. Sometimes they continue to talk long after they have been reduced to bone."1

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Stumbling along the filth-ridden streets, Tsunade blinked in confusion, attempting to see through the overwhelming darkness. She'd just finished with her last customer for the day and made just enough to buy a bottle of whiskey. She guzzled it shamelessly, groping along the walls, trying in vain to locate the corner she had claimed for herself.

The slight rustle of clothes behind her made her stop and sigh in annoyance. She didn't know it was a mistake that she heard it – she took it for the sound of a man undoing his pants.

"Look, I'm done for tonight. Come back tomorrow," she slurred, growling angrily when he only chuckled.

"Ha ha, there won't be a tomorrow, love," she heard him say as he moved directly behind her.

Her eyes widened and she stiffened. "Your voice…I know you…"

"You know me?" he asked, giggling insanely. "Well it's a good thing that dead whores tell no tales, eh?"

A cold blade was pressed against her throat and the last thing she heard was his manic cackling, coating in blood lust.

She didn't even have a chance to scream.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Friday, 31 August 1888 – 12:00 PM_

Sasuke Abberline frowned down at his book as he re-read the passage multiple times. No matter how many times he looked at it, it didn't make any sense to him. Sighing, he hopped off his bed and trudged down the hall to request his beloved brother's help.

"Itachi, can you take a look at this? I don't understand it and I can't finish my essay if…" he trailed off, surprise twisting his features. His brother's travel bags were set neatly in a row on the bed and Itachi was packing the last outfit from his dresser. "Itachi, what are you doing?"

The older man straightened and turned to face Sasuke calmly. "I'm going to be leaving for awhile, Sasuke."

"Why? Where are you going?" the younger asked, suspicious.

"Whitechapel," he said simply. "There's been a murder and Scotland Yard is sending me along with Detective Inspectors Shikamaru Andrews and Kakashi Moore to investigate."

"A murder…? Who? When?"

Itachi observed his brother warily. "It was Tsunade Ann Nichols, Kakashi's friend's ex-wife. She was discovered at about 3:40 AM today, at Buck's Row."

"But how was she killed?" Sasuke asked, adrenaline starting to course through him.

"Sasuke…you don't want to know."

"Tell me!" he demanded, growing frustrated. "I'm twenty years old, I can handle it!"

Itachi sighed but gave in. "The lower part of her abdomen was partly ripped open by a deep, jagged wound. There were also several incisions on the abdomen and three or four similar cuts on the right side…but the cause of death was two deep cuts that severed her throat," he finished reluctantly.

Sasuke's blood ran cold as images of his parents flashed through his mind, strewn across the floor, their necks slashed by two gouges. The thriving adrenaline began to mingle with burning hatred. "The Whitechapel Slaughterer…"2

"Sasuke," Itachi warned. "Don't jump to conclusions."

"You must see the connection too! Mom and dad were killed in the Whitechapel area by two cuts in their necks, by a serial killer who was never caught might I add, and now he must be at it again! This is probably why they assigned you to the case! They caught on to it too!" Sasuke exclaimed in excitement.

Itachi gripped Sasuke's shoulders firmly and kneeled down to look up at him. "Sasuke, drop it."

Glaring in disbelief, the raven haired man's fists tightened. "Drop it!? Are you insane? How can you–"

"SASUKE!" Itachi's tone caused Sasuke to freeze. Itachi _never_ raised his voice, especially not at his little brother. Realizing what he did, Itachi sighed and took Sasuke into his arms, hugging him tightly. "Please, let it go. I took you and moved away from that place, away from all our friends, for a reason. I want to protect you. Leave it to me. _Please_."

The desperation and pleading in his brother's voice stunned Sasuke but also pulled on his heartstrings. Itachi never asked for anything, and he certainly never used the word _please_. Sasuke buried his face in Itachi's shoulder and released a shuddering sigh. "Ok," he whispered. "I promise I'll leave it all to you."

Pulling back, Itachi allowed a rare smile for this brother and kissed him gently on the head.

Sasuke returned the smile but stopped Itachi when he tried to return to packing. "But at least let me go with you."

"Sasuke-"

"I just want to see Naruto and Sakura again," he said quickly. "I haven't seen them in eight years! I wonder if dobe has gotten any stupider."

Itachi looked doubtful but gave up at Sasuke's pleading look. "But what about your studies?"

The younger Abberline shrugged. "I'm ahead," he said simply. "Besides, this will give me first-hand experience! It's so much better than just reading books about investigations." Seeing the look his brother shot him he added, "I'm just going to watch and observe, don't worry. I won't get involved."

Sighing, Itachi poked him on the head gently. "Foolish little brother. We have an hour until the coach comes. Get packed."

Grinning, Sasuke stumbled out the door and dove into his room, throwing random things into his bags messily. Nothing could quell the growing excitement in the pit of his stomach. _I'm going to be on the set of a real murder investigation! Not to mention I get to see Naruto and Sakura again. God I miss them…I wonder if they've changed much?_

As Itachi and Sasuke loaded their things into the coach, a man miles away was reluctantly scrubbing the crimson stains from his skin, cheering himself up with the thought that soon enough he would enjoy the thrill of murder again…soon enough…

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1 This is actually a quote from Patricia Cornwell's book Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper Case Closed.

2 I don't know if anyone like that actually exists. I just made him up for the sake of the story.


	3. Ch 2 Reunion

A/N: Not a lot really happens in this chapter. No Ripper action or anything. But I needed to include this to introduce some new characters and fill in some more background. Also, the Ripper murders are spaced out, and I don't want to do a giant time skip to each one. Also, remember to look out for the underlined words! But I hope you all like this chapter, and if you have comments or constructive criticism, I would really appreciate it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

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Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 2: Reunion

Sasuke gingerly stepped down from the coach, marveling in both nostalgia and hesitance at the familiar streets and buildings. In front of the brothers rested a tall decaying building, much worse for wear than Sasuke remembered it.

"Are you sure they'll have room for us?" Itachi asked as the coach rolled away.

"Do you not see the size of this place?" the younger Abberline teased, elbowing his brother playfully.

Itachi only frowned. "That's not what I meant…"

"Oh come on! They'll be glad to see us. I'm sure they would rather have us stay with them than at some dingy hotel," he reassured. "Besides, it's more convenient! The Whitechapel (H) Division C.I.D. headquarters are only a couple blocks away."

"…If you say so…"

"Smile, Itachi! Look like you're actually happy for once," Sasuke chided, rolling his eyes.

Glaring at his little brother, Itachi hoisted his bags into his arms and managed to fix his expression into something somewhat pleasanter. Smirking, Sasuke grabbed his own suitcases and followed his brother to the shabby door of the orphanage. Itachi rapped curtly on the door twice and then waited patiently.

"Naruto, can you get that please? I'm busy!" a familiar voice shouted, followed by a groan of protest.

"Fiiiine…" a whiny voice rang out. The closer the footsteps became the faster Sasuke's heart beat. He took a shaky breath, causing Itachi to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder and squeeze. "How may I help –" Naruto cut off, frozen in shock, his wide blue eyes portraying disbelief.

"Hello," Sasuke said weakly, taking in the surprisingly tall, even mature-looking twenty-year-old. "Naruto…you…I…umm…"

"Sasuke," the blonde breathed out, reaching out to poke the said man lightly in the shoulder, as if confirming that he was actually there and wasn't just a teasing apparition. "You're really back…Oh God, you're back!"

The next thing Sasuke knew Naruto tackled him, knocking them both onto the grimy ground, throwing his arms around the Abberline. The tan man was sobbing and burying his face in his friend's shoulder. Sasuke found that he too had hot tears slipping off his chin, and he clutched he other man to him, afraid to let go. "Yeah…I'm back…God, I'm so sorry!"

Itachi watched the scene unfold with a soft smile. He was glad he brought Sasuke now…the boy hadn't smiled like that since their parents died.

The men broke their embrace and, still lightly sniffling, Naruto dragged Sasuke into the house, exclaiming the good news to whoever was inside, leaving Itachi with all the bags. Sighing, the twenty-five-year-old lugged them into the house one by one.

He knew there would be a lot of nostalgia and story-telling before he could get any work done.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

"So you're studying to be an investigator like Itachi, Sasuke?" Iruka questioned over dinner after many tears had been shed and multiple hugs given.

"Yes, but I'm taking a break from the textbooks for now. I'm going to have a front-row seat to the real thing!" Sasuke exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh, you never told us the reason for your unexpected visit, did you?" Iruka remembered.

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it? Itachi is here to solve the case of old grandma Tsunade's murder!" Naruto butted in.

"Naruto!" Iruka scolded. "Have you no respect for the dead?"

"Awww come on! She liked it when I called her that," the blonde said, almost whispering the last part.

"Actually, that's exactly why I'm here," Itachi said coolly. "Which leads me to a favor I must ask you…"

"What is it? Name anything at all – we'd do anything for old friends."

Itachi hesitated, so Sasuke decided to answer instead. "We wanted to know if we could stay at your house."

The older Abberline frowned at his brother's bluntness. "Only for the duration of the investigation," he quickly added. "We'll pay for our food and rent."

"Food and rent?" Iruka and Naruto broke out into laughter. "This proves just how many years have passed! No, the only thing you two need to do is grace us with your friendship and trust again."

Itachi examined Iruka doubtfully. "Are you sure…?"

"Quite sure," the brown haired man reassured, grinning. "I don't think you realize how much we've missed you guys."

Naruto suddenly grabbed Sasuke's arm and started yanking him over to the staircase, chattering excitedly. "Here, I'll show you where your room is and what my room looks like now. Our rooms can be right next to each other so that we can communicate easily and –"

"Calm down, Naruto." Iruka chuckled heartily. "While Naruto shows him around, Itachi, and you can fill me in on the case, if you don't mind."

Itachi obliged and soon the two were deep in conversation. Grinning, Naruto and Sasuke hauled the bags up the stairs, seeing who could get to the top first.

Laughing, Sasuke leaned against the wall to catch his breath as Naruto arrived shortly after him. "You…you cheated," the blonde panted.

"You'll just always be second place when I'm around, dobe," Sasuke teased with a triumphant smirk.

"That's one thing I didn't miss; the old Abberline smirk," Naruto joked, dragging the luggage over to the second room on the right. "Here, you can have Neji's old room. Itachi can have the room across from this; it used to be Chouji's. My room is right next to yours."

He eased open the window, allowing the cool night air to slip in, snatch hold of the musty air, and retreat with its prize. He spun around; grinning broadly, but his smile fell when he saw the confused, nostalgic look on his friend's face.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"It's just…" the raven haired man slowly settled himself onto the creaky bed, looking around as if he were in a dream. "I've missed so much! Everyone else; Lee, Neji, Tenten, Chouji, everyone! They've all moved out, grown up, accomplished things…and I didn't get to see any of it. I wasn't even able to say goodbye…"

Frowning, Naruto sat close to him. "If it makes you feel any better, I can fill you in. Tenten and Neji moved out and got married about a year or two ago. Chouji and Ino did the same, but they divorced ten months into the marriage; I'm not sure why," he paused, a pondering look on his face. "But anyways, Lee left when he turned eighteen. He lives in America now. He's the only one who still writes. Gaara ran away at sixteen and committed suicide a week later…and Hinata is currently a nun at the St. Mary Matfelon church, smack-dab in the center of Whitechapel."

Absorbing all the information like a sponge, Sasuke had multiple questions. "Gaara…? Suicide? Why?"

Naruto sighed sadly. "No one knows…I guess he just didn't feel like he had anything left to live for anymore…not even us."

Realizing he reached a touchy subject, Sasuke quickly veered away from it. "Lee, in America, wow…He always did shoot for the stars, didn't he?"

Naruto smiled in gratitude, appreciating the subject change. "Yeah, he did. Everyone always said he wouldn't amount to much…just like me. But look at us now! He's a world-renowned trader and I'm studying to be a lawyer! We proved them wrong!"

The corners of Sasuke's mouth lifted slightly and he punched his friend in the arm affectionately. "You sure did, especially me."

Flashing a tender smile and returning the gesture, Naruto stood and stretched. "Well, I've got to drag all of Itachi's rubbish over to his room now," he said quickly, heading for the door.

"Wait a minute, Naruto!" Said man froze in the doorway and Sasuke swore he saw him flinch. "I almost forgot, what became of Sakura? Didn't she want to be a nurse?"

Sighing, Naruto knew there was no way out of it now. "Listen Sasuke…there's something you should know."

Sasuke was surprised by his friend's sudden serious tone. "Naruto, what's wrong?"

The tan man took his place again beside Sasuke on the bed. "Five years after you left, we fell into poverty. Dad lost his job and it took him awhile to find another one. We could barely afford food. Sakura, who always felt in debt to dad for taking her in, wanted to help him. No place would offer her a job because of her young age and her gender, so she resorted to the only thing left…" At this, Naruto released a shuddering sigh. "When dad found out, he was furious. He yelled at her for hours…it was the only time I've ever seen him genuinely mad. Anyways, the guilt was too much for her and she moved out into the streets.

"Shortly afterward, dad apologized and begged her to come back. He told her he had a new solid job, and that she didn't have to do…that…anymore. She refused. She said she didn't want to shame him anymore." Naruto shook his head sadly. "To this day, she still won't accept our help…"

Eyes wide, mouth dropped open in disbelief, Sasuke was speechless. "Naruto, don't tell me she's a…prostitute?"

Narrator's mouth pressed into a grim line was his only answer.

"But…she was so innocent and pure, and sweet! She was Sakura!" Sasuke exclaimed, flailing his arms wildly. "She was our little cherry blossom!" His expression suddenly switched to blind fury. "How many bastards have touched her, wilted her!? What are their names? I'll -"

"Sasuke!" Said man was snapped out of his rage when two firm hands gripped his shoulders. "Calm down. There's nothing you can do. She chose this path three years ago; she couldn't stop now even if she wanted to. It's more of a ritual than a requirement now," he said softly.

"But…it's not fair!" Sasuke's eyes were dry but his speech was interrupted by his gasping sobs. "There has to be something I can do! It's all my fault! If I hadn't left, I could've prevented this!"

"Sasuke, this isn't your doing," Naruto reassured him gently.

Suddenly the sobs ceased and Sasuke's shoulders stopped shaking. "I want to see her," he whispered. "You have to take me to her."

Naruto frowned and observed his friend doubtfully. "I don't think that's a good idea…You won't recognize her, Sasuke. She's changed, on the outside…and the inside."

"Please!" he begged, and Naruto's heart throbbed at the pure desperation in his voice.

"…Ok," he said hesitantly. "But you'll regret it." Sasuke offered him a half-smile, a genuine one, and Naruto weakly returned it. "But not tonight. I'll take you to see her tomorrow, when it's still light out…"

Sasuke frowned. "Why?"

"The darkness isn't safe anymore…there's a monster lurking about, and I don't think his bloodlust is satisfied yet…he still has more kills to make."

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A/N: I realize that Sasuke is probably a little out of character, but I meant it to be that way. He won't be as angsty as in the series, mainly because his past turned out differently and he still is on good terms with Itachi. Also, the Sand siblings are NOT related in this. That's important lol. But yeah, I have the next chapter written up and now I just have to type it. However, it might be awhile. There's kind of a family emergency going on….But I hope you enjoyed it!


	4. Ch 3 Naming the Devil

A/N: There's one thing I need to make clear; Naruto is Iruka's adopted son, not his real son. I forget if I mentioned that before…Also, I just watched the movie From Hell last weekend. It's about Jack the Ripper and its got Johnny Depp in it! It was very good, although dark, so you should look into it if you're interested! Watch the trailer. Anyways, I actually think this chapter turned out pretty well, and I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

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Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 3: Naming the Devil

_Saturday, 1 September 1888 - 9:00 AM_

Yawning and stretching, Sasuke stumbled over to the table and flopped into a chair. He was surprised to see that breakfast was already laid out for him.

"Sleep well?" Iruka asked cheerily from his place in front of the stove.

Sasuke nodded drowsily, earning a chuckle from the other man. Chomping on the crispy bacon in front of him, Sasuke observed his host curiously. "Are you off work today? I remember you used to leave at 6:00."

"Hah, you always did have a good memory. No, I'm only off on Sundays. Since all the other kids moved on, I've only had to support Naruto and I, so I don't have to arrive at the bakery until 10:00." Iruka padded over to Sasuke, shoveling more bacon and eggs onto his plate. "Speaking of Naruto, is that boy still sleeping?"

"Yup. I still heard his snores when I got up," the raven haired man replied, snickering. He suddenly remembered something and his smile fell. "Where is Itachi? He never sleeps past 8:00."

"Oh, he left at about 7:30 to go to headquarters. He left you a note on your bedside table; I'm surprised you didn't see it."

"That bastard, I can't believe he left without me!" Sasuke exclaimed, shoving out his chair and bolting up the stairs. On the way to his room he kicked Naruto's door and shouted for his lazy ass to get up. This earned him a lamp thrown at the door, followed by an irritated "Five more minutes!"

Throwing open his own door, the young Abberline stormed over to his bedside table and examined the neatly-scrawled words:

_Dear Sleeping Beauty,_

_I wanted to become familiar with the building and the people I'm working with, so I left early. When you decide you've slept long enough, head over. _

_Love, Itachi_

_P.S. Try to dress relatively nice. Also, do something with that bed head. _

Scowling, Sasuke finger-combed his hair as he searched through his unpacked bags. He decided that the combination of tan trousers and a dark green vest over a long-sleeved white buttoned shirt would fit Itachi's 'relatively nice' standards.

The Whitechapel area was poor and lacked plumbing, but luckily the orphanage was located on the outskirts and Iruka was better off than others, so they therefore had it. Sasuke changed clothes swiftly and then set to grooming himself. Brushing his teeth thoroughly, he made sure to pick out all the stubborn bits of bacon. Next, he scrubbed his face with a damp towel mercilessly. His skin glowed faintly red when he was finished. Finally, he borrowed Naruto's brush, having forgotten his, and worked out every single tangle in his raven locks.

Itachi always told him that appearance was an important part in making a good first impression.

Deciding he looked presentable, Sasuke grabbed his shoes and attempted to put them on as he hopped down the stairs. Naruto and Iruka looked up curiously as he entered the kitchen.

"Are you leaving now?" the older Smith asked, standing.

"Yup. I'll probably be back whenever Itachi is."

"Alright, well let me get you a spare key in case no one is home." The brown haired man opened a small box above the stove and retrieved a silver key. "I gave one to Itachi too. We have so many left over from when everyone still lived here. It's good that they can be put to use again, instead of just lying there rusting," he said with a grin, dropping it into Sasuke's outstretched hand.

"Thanks," the younger man murmured, pocketing the key.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, spraying bacon and toast bits everywhere. "When dad and I get back from the bakery at 6:00, I'll show you that flowerbed, ok?" he said, emphasizing the word 'flower'.

_So Naruto wants to keep it a secret…_ "Alright, sounds good."

"Flowerbed?" Iruka questioned somewhat suspiciously.

"Yeah, there's a patch of flowers a little ways from here. We're going to go collect the pretty ones and give 'em to Hinata, so she can make bouquets for the sick. You know how much she loves to do that."

Sasuke never knew Naruto could lie so well.

"Oh, I see," Iruka approved, flashing a smile so big that both boys immediately felt guilty. "How kind of you! Hinata will definitely appreciate it."

"Well, Itachi is waiting on me so I should leave now," Sasuke said quickly, heading to the door.

"Goodness, it's already 9:40! Naruto and I have to hurry too," Iruka exclaimed, fluttering around the table collecting the dishes.

Waving goodbye to Naruto, Sasuke slipped out the door and onto the streets, wallowing in the pleasant rays of the sun. The adrenaline surging through him gave him bursts of energy to aid him as he raced through the streets in the direction of the headquarters.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Sasuke panted heavily, his hands on his knees, bent over to catch his breath. When his small fatigue spell was over, he stopped to marvel at the impressive architecture before going in. The building wasn't that tall but it made up for its height in width. The archway he stood under was supported by two spiraling pillars which rested at the top of the perfectly sculpted stairs he stood on. The building was definitely much better off than any of the others in Whitechapel.

"So this is the Whitechapel (H) Division C.I.D. headquarters," he breathed. He made his way up to the huge double mahogany doors and debated whether to knock or just go in.

"We're expecting you, so please feel free to enter."

Sasuke jumped and spun around in the direction of the laid back voice. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Did I scare you?" the man asked, chuckling at Sasuke's fierce glare. "My apologies. But really, have you forgotten me already?"

The man pocketed his small book and stepped out from under the shade of the pillar he was leaning against, revealing his familiar face to Sasuke. Or rather, the small part of his face Sasuke could actually see.

"Kakashi Moore…" he said, realization dawning on him.

"Hey kiddo," Kakashi greeted cheerfully, ruffling the younger man's hair. "About time you showed up. Itachi had me wait out here until you arrived."

"Why?" Sasuke asked, playfully swatting away the hand.

"Well, he didn't want you to get lost," Kakashi replied, leading Sasuke over to the doors and shoving them open with ease. Sasuke soon saw why. Dozens of people flooded the entrance of the building, some of them police and others citizens. Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him through the crowds, eventually pulling him down a less crowded hallway and into a relatively large office. Itachi and a few others turned around to observe the newcomer.

"Welcome, foolish little brother," Itachi said in monotone, causing Sasuke to blush and glare at him.

"Hey Sasuke, long time no see," a person Sasuke recognized as Shikamaru Andrews greeted him lazily.

Sasuke said nothing, merely stood there absorbing the atmosphere in both excitement and nervousness.

"This office you're gawking at so openly is our temporary site of investigation," Itachi informed, gesturing to himself and the other two from Scotland Yard. He then turned back to the men he'd been talking to, letting Kakashi take over.

"In about ten or fifteen minutes there will be a meeting where we'll discuss what we know so far, who are the possible suspects, etc.," the gray haired man said, waving his hand in a bored manner. "Itachi decided to let you join in because he thinks it'll be good experience for you."

"Actually, Itachi is trying to secure a small job for you," Shikamaru announced. "He was talking to the head of the division earlier to see if you could be put in charge of taking notes during meetings. It's not much, but like Kakashi said, it'll be good for you."

Anticipation dancing in his stomach, Sasuke grinned broadly. God, he loved his brother! He knew Itachi didn't want to get him too involved but Sasuke appreciated the effort his brother gave to gain this much for Sasuke. Glancing over at Itachi, Sasuke noticed that the men he was talking to were leaving. Taking this as his chance to glomp his brother, in an orderly and professional manner of course, he strutted over to him.

"My my, so _this_ is the little detective-in-training, eh?"

The slimy voice froze Sasuke in his tracks.

"Yes. Sasuke, this is Orochimaru Reid, head of the division," Itachi introduced, spinning Sasuke around to face the man who just walked through the door.

"N-nice to meet you," Sasuke stuttered slightly, all composure lost to the intimidating gaze of the man.

"Well, you certainly look like your brother," Orochimaru hissed, circling Sasuke, eyes trailing up and down his frame. "But do you have the same capabilities as an inspector?"

Answering for him, Itachi replied, "He's only studying at the moment but I thought it would aid him to have experience taking notes and analyzing facts."

Finishing his full-body examination of the frightened Abberline, Orochimaru stood back, an approving look on his face. "Why not? Young minds are more open and accepting than our old ones, aren't they? It would be my _pleasure_ to allow him that job," he said with a smirk, his golden eyes seeming to pierce right through Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't miss the suggestiveness in the snake's voice (for that's what he decided Orochimaru was like, a snake), and apparently Itachi didn't either.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Reid," Itachi said coldly. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have a few more things to arrange before the meeting."

"Ahh, of course. I'll take my leave then." Eyeing Sasuke up and down one last time, Orochimaru's tongue flicked out and swept over his lips, much to Sasuke's horror and Itachi's chagrin.

An awkward silence took over once the pale man left and Sasuke took it upon himself to break it. "Thanks for getting me the job, Itachi," he murmured shyly yet gratefully.

Itachi, whose eyes hadn't left the door Orochimaru exited through, seemed to snap out of his reverie. "Hn, foolish little brother," he chided affectionately. "Where would you be without me?"

Sasuke scowled and mumbled 'prick' under his breath, but his eyes were alight with joy.

" 'Scuse me inspectors," a short man said, poking his head through the door. "The meeting is to start soon and I was sent to show you to the room."

Nodding his head slightly at the man as a show of thanks, Itachi rifled through one of the drawers in his desk for a moment before pulling something out. He handed an elegant red pen and a hard-back black notebook to Sasuke wordlessly. Taking an instant liking to these two objects, Sasuke accepted them and flipped through the book curiously as he followed the others out. It didn't take them long to arrive at a surprisingly small room with a simple rectangular table in the middle with eight chairs.

"Shouldn't it be bigger? I thought this was a meeting," Sasuke asked his brother quietly as they settled into the chairs. Itachi sat at one at the head of the table and Sasuke took the chair closest to him on one of the sides with three chairs. Kakashi and Shikamaru filled the other two next to him.

"This is a meeting, but only for a small number of people," Itachi explained patiently. "We're trying to keep this thing quiet. We don't want the press to catch wind of it. They'll just make things more complicated."

Sasuke nodded to show that he understood as he watched the other arrivals. Orochimaru entered but Sasuke didn't avoid his gaze. He glared right into those amber eyes to show he wasn't scared. Orochimaru merely smirked and sat at the other head of the table across from Itachi. Following the snake-like man was a guy with long hair similar in color to Kakashi's. His eyes were hidden behind his large glasses which were catching the reflection of the light, preventing Sasuke from identifying the color of his eyes.

The youngest Abberline took an instant dislike to the man.

The last two men to enter carried files with them and Sasuke swore he knew the tall one with white hair. They took seats next to Kabuto. The meeting could finally begin.

"Before we discuss anything, let's offer sympathy to Mr. Lemmens," Kakashi said firmly, cutting off Orochimaru as he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm sorry about Tsunade, Jiraiya. None of us could've seen this coming," he said gently to his friend, dropping the formalities.

_That's why he looked so familiar! He's Kakashi's best friend and I remember Naruto always used to hang around him…he thought of him as a second father I think. Too bad he always hated me…_

Jiraiya's well-composed face couldn't contain the grief that twisted his features at he mention of his ex-wife's name. "Thanks, Kakashi," he whispered, offering a weak smile.

Granting Jiraiya no polite words of his own, Orochimaru continued on with business. "Mr. Lemmens, did you bring the information I requested?" Jiraiya placed the files he'd been carrying into the pale man's outstretched hand, and the other man who came in with him did the same.

As Orochimaru flicked through the files Itachi leaned over to Sasuke. "Be prepared to write things down, both facts about the victims and assumptions made by those present," he whispered helpfully. Sasuke nodded and opened the notebook to the first page, his pen poised at the ready.

"Tsunade Ann Nichols, forty three years old, nicknamed 'Polly'. Born 26 August 1845, killed on Friday 31 August 1888. Body discovered at 3:40 AM on the ground in front of a gated stable entrance in Buck's Row by Konohamaru Cross. The injuries: two deep cuts in her throat; a deep, jagged wound ripping the abdomen open; several incisions running across the abdomen; and three or four similar cuts on the right side."

Sasuke's hand flew across the paper quickly, recording only the important facts and leaving out insignificant details. The neat red scrawls he left on the gray-white paper resembled the crimson strands that adorned the muddled ground, streaming away from the woman's body, the unusual ornament that did not belong strewn across the streets of London like that.

Sasuke visibly shuddered at the sudden disturbing image.

"Inspector Reid," Itachi began when Orochimaru paused to let everyone absorb and ponder the information. "Who is in charge of the morgue and the autopsies? I would like to consult with them."

Orochimaru nodded to the man with glasses who offered what Sasuke deemed to be a fake smile to Itachi. ""I'm Kabuto Rank. How may I be of service to you?"

"If it's not too much trouble could I possibly see the corpse after the meeting, for first-hand evidence?"

"Of course."

After he tore his gaze away from Itachi the so-called Kabuto locked eyes with the youngest Abberline. At Sasuke's disapproving glare he merely smiled good-naturedly, seemed to dismiss it as something childish and not worth his time. Sasuke's blood boiled.

"Now, here I have the documents Jiraiya was so kind as to lend me. They involve Tsunade Ann Nichols' medical information, history, and relations. These could drop us a hint as to whether she had any enemies," Orochimaru explained, his narrowed eyes flitting around the room.

"Before anything else, he should be given a name," Shikamaru suddenly spoke up, the first words he'd said since the meeting started. "There's no way we'll be able to pin a suspect and confirm it anytime soon and the killer might strike again. Until we uncover him, we should give him a title; we don't want the press to come up with something themselves."

"Good point, Inspector Andrews," Itachi said respectfully. "Would anyone like to offer an idea?"

The room was silent as the eight men pondered, attempting to concoct a name suitable enough for the horror that was on the loose.

"Jack," Sasuke suddenly said quietly. All eyes turned in his direction. "Jack the Ripper."

Jiraiya was the first to comment. "I like it. A frightening and despicable name for a frightening and despicable character," he said bitterly.

"Yes, it should do a good job of catching and holding attention when attention is needed," Kabuto agreed.

"Then it's settled," Orochimaru announced. "Until we uncover him, this felon shall be Jack the Ripper."

Sasuke couldn't hide the grin that grew on his face. He glanced over at Itachi shyly and reveled in the small but proud smile Itachi sent him in return.

When Sasuke looked back, years later, that pride would be replaced with horror that he gave name to the fiercest serial killer in London history.

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A/N: A few more new characters came in this time. Orochimaru is portraying the person named Edmund Reid, and Kabuto's and Jiraiya's last names I made up. They aren't any specific historical figures. By the way, the part where Sasuke said "Shouldn't it be bigger?" is SO a 'that's what she said!' moment! Yeah, I'm a creeper, deal with it lol. Also, there will be NO yaoi in this story. Just some general creepiness from Orochimaru, as usual. Anyways, hope you enjoyed it and I should start on the next chapter soon! Sakura will come in then.


	5. Ch 4 Temptation of a Stranger

A/N: There's just one warning for this chapter– there's a small sexual scene. It's not really sex, but I just thought I'd give a heads up. It's nothing graphic or anything though. It's my first time writing something like that actually. I kind of died inside haha. Oh, by the way, I need you guys' opinions. Should I change this story to an M rating or leave it at a T? It won't really get that graphic I don't think, but I didn't know whether I should because of the themes, like prostitution and murder and disembowelment and stuff. So please give me your feedback on that. Anyways, next chapter there'll be another Ripper murder! Hope you all enjoy this!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

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"_One day men will look back and say I gave birth to the 20__th__ century." _

_~Jack the Ripper; From Hell_

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 4: Temptation of a Stranger

_5:20 AM_

Sasuke half-heartedly kicked a pebble, using his feet to carry it along when friction decided to step in as he made his way back to the orphanage. After the meeting Kakashi had taken him on an extended tour of the headquarters while Itachi went over some things in his office. Then some underling took the inspectors from Scotland Yard and Sasuke down to the murder scene, where the three said inspectors examined the area for a good hour and Sasuke took notes on their findings. When they returned Kabuto led Itachi to the morgue to see the corpse, which much to Sasuke's annoyance Itachi had prohibited him from seeing. So out of a childish act of spite Sasuke left headquarters without him and wandered around town, stopping at a small shop for lunch.

Now, with nothing better to do the raven haired man decided to wait on the porch for Naruto to get home. The weather was nice and Sasuke didn't want to be in the house alone. Fortunately for him, Naruto arrived a mere fifteen minutes after he himself got there.

"You're early," Sasuke commented.

"Iruka let me leave," Naruto said simply, taking a seat next to his friend. "Here, I brought a snack for us to eat before we leave. Now, regale me with the details of your first time in an investigation!"

Sasuke accepted the hunk of warm seasoned bread and nibbled on it as he filled his friend in. Naruto nodded enthusiastically throughout the story, occasionally commenting and slapping Sasuke on the back with a grin when he was told about how Sasuke named the killer.

"So Itachi wouldn't let you see the body? Well, why would you want to anyways? It's going to be all gory…"

"It's because he wouldn't let me see it that makes me want to see it. He knows he'll recognize something, and he knows that I would too," Sasuke mumbled bitterly.

Naruto looked confused but didn't ask about his friend's cryptic speech. Instead he dusted the bread crumbs off his pants and hoisted himself up. "You ready?" he asked, extending his hand.

Sasuke examined his friend coolly, knowing that Naruto wasn't just asking if he was ready to go. _Are you ready to see her? Are you prepared to handle the change?_ He took the hand without hesitation and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.

What type of world do we live in where a simple grasping of hands can change a person's life in ways that can never be reversed?

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

The two men approached what looked like a bar, a grubby yet busy place.

"The Ten Bells?"1 Sasuke questioned.

"Sakura and her friends hang out here around this time," Naruto explained, opening the door and pushing Sasuke gently ahead of him. The blonde led the raven to the very corner of the bar where four women were sitting, one of them with a headful of shocking pink hair.

Sasuke froze a few feet away from the table, giving his eyes time to get used to the sight before he approached her. She was slim, as Sasuke remembered her, but she was too slim. It was obvious that she wasn't getting enough to eat. Her cleavage revealed breasts that were _much_ larger than he remembered them being (it took him a few moments to tear his eyes away). His gaze then drifted up to her face. Her fair skin was smooth and unblemished, a sharp contrast to her pink locks which were decorated with ornaments of dirt and grease. It was however brushed and lacked any tangles, showing that she was at least attempting to keep clean.

Next he examined her eyes, from a side-view though because she had not yet noticed him. They were ugly, that's the first thought that came to his mind. They were still a charming emerald green color, but they no longer held a sparkle in them. Her mouth was twisted upward in a smile, but from her eyes a person would think she was at a funeral.

He didn't like them. They weren't pretty, they weren't human, and they weren't _Sakura_.

One of Sakura's friends, a dirty blonde, nudged her and nodded at Sasuke. "Someone's eyeing you, hun."

Temari and Sakura smirked and she slowly turned in her seat, saying "Like what you see, love?" Her eyes locked with his and the smirk dropped immediately. "Sasuke, is that really you?"

He nodded dumbly and continued to stare.

"I'll go get us drinks," Naruto mumbled, shuffling away.

"It's been awhile!" Sakura said coolly once she got over her shock. "And age has been _quite_ kind to you, by the way." Sasuke's face glowed faintly red and Sakura and her blonde friend chuckled.

"He _is_ cute. My name is Temari Eddowes, by the way," the blonde introduced.

"Nice to see you again, little Abberline," a black haired woman whom Sasuke recognized as Kurenai Stride said with a slight smile. "He's grown so big, huh Shizune?"2

Shizune Chapman, Tsunade's closest friend if Sasuke remembered right, mumbled a quiet agreement and resumed nervously scratching at the chipping table.

"So what did you come all the way back to these slums for?" Sakura inquired, sipping her alcohol.

"Business for Itachi," Sasuke said curtly, suddenly feeling like confining that bit of information. He didn't want to answer to this stranger who wasn't anything like the Sakura he knew. "But that's beside the point. I need to talk to you – alone."

Sakura looked surprised and Kurenai and Temari exchanged excited glances. "Finally a man who doesn't look like a horse's arse comes around and _you_ get him!" they accused playfully.

The pink haired woman scowled at her friends and stood, dusting off her battered dress. "Well alright then, follow me."

The two exited the bar and Sasuke allowed himself to be led through a complicated maze of streets, wondering why they were going so far away. _When I said I wanted to be alone with her, I meant _relatively_ alone, as in away from her friends_, he thought as they finally turned a final corner and stopped at a small room.

"It's not much, but it's all I can afford," Sakura said without shame, noticing his eyes scanning the place up and down. She dug through her folds of skirts for a few moments, cursing in irritation, until she pulled out a small rusted key. She ushered him in and followed afterwards, locking the door behind her.

The raven haired man drank in his surroundings, taking in the sight of the one-person bed and the small bedside table, the only furniture in the room. He had a passing thought. _She deserves better. _He turned around slowly, saying "Sakura, I wanted to say – what are you doing?"

The green eyed woman was mere inches away from him, her fingers expertly undoing the buttons on the front of her dress. "I normally do this in the streets quickly without all this foreplay nonsense, but for an old friend I thought I could step it up. Besides, a little change from the norm every once in awhile is good, right?" The top of her dress was now fully unbuttoned and her corset undone, revealing well-rounded pale breasts. Sasuke gulped, his attempt not to stare failing. She wrapped her arms around his neck seductively, pressing her body against his. He could feel the tempting warmth of her breasts through his shirts.

She pressed her lips against his gently and he immediately responded, surprising himself with his own want and need. The soft, warm lips were the same as the day she kissed him goodbye when he moved eight years ago. They were the only part of Sakura that were still the same.

Their kissing became more intense as she threaded her fingers in his hair and he pulled them both onto the bed. Below her Sasuke's anxious fingers searched for the zipper on the back of her dress heatedly. His actions were only stopped and his sense regained when he felt her fingers drift down to his nether regions.

With a gasp he forced his hands between them and shoved her off, uttering a choked "Stop". He ran his hand through his hair and breathed deeply, attempting to gather himself.

"What's the matter, love?" Sakura questioned, approaching him again.

"Cover yourself up," Sasuke growled, glaring at the floor.

Frowning Sakura did as she was told, arranging her corset and doing up her buttons. "What's all this about? Isn't that why you wanted us to be alone?"

Sasuke's head shot up and Sakura was taken aback at the look of pure fury on his face. "So you think I'm that fucking greedy that I would use you like that, one of my oldest friends, my first crush," he said through barely-contained rage. "I'm not another one of your damn _customers._ I won't pay to degrade you – there are many other men who will do that," he spat.

Her eyes narrowing in anger, Sakura stomped forward a few threatening steps. "So it's my occupation that bothers you, huh?"

"If you can even call it an occupation," he hissed.

"If I could get another job I would!" she growled. "But I can't so I'm working in the only way I can, which is more than you can say! The most you have to do is crack open a couple of books every day!" Suddenly she chuckled. "You know what, I think you want to nail me too, Mr. Virgin." She smirked at his surprised look. "Please, you think by now I can't tell the difference?"

He growled. "Why would I want to lose it to a woman as loose as a pillowcase?" he retorted fiercely.

"You seemed pretty eager to screw this pillowcase a few minutes ago!"

"Yeah, well then I finally saw what you've become!"

"And what have I become? What am I, Sasuke?" she demanded vehemently.

"I…I don't know," he said weakly, shocking the pink haired woman. "All I know is that Naruto was right - I don't recognize you. You were once our cherry blossom…now you've wilted."

He waited for the look of hurt to settle on her face and to maybe receive a slap or two, but neither came. She merely trained her empty emerald eyes on him and sighed regretfully. "I never even got a chance to blossom," she said quietly.

A short silence stretched wherein the two old friends, the two new strangers, gazed at each other. The dark grass looked longingly at the soil that was its first home and the soil stared back, for the grass had grown so tall and ever so far away.

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. He stood up slowly, straightening his ruffled hair as he walked across the short span of floor to the door, staring at the floor the entire time. He unlocked it and slid it open with a slight creak.

"I wanted to lose it to you, you know," the quiet yet truthful voice murmured from behind him.

Sasuke paused, halfway through the door. "I did, too."

The door slid shut, creating yet another barrier between the two. He faced north and she was staring south. He wanted to help and she didn't want any assistance. He was an inspector-in-training and she was prostitute.

Funny how these things can be related sometimes….

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Friday, 7 September 1888 – 7:00 PM_

Sasuke dragged his feet along as he grudgingly followed the skipping Naruto to Jiraiya's house. Since it was the weekend and everyone had more time Iruka was sending the two over with "comfort food and company". Sasuke would much rather continue to mope over Sakura and the fact that Naruto told him he should give her a few weeks' space before communicating with her again. (Sasuke decided not to tell Naruto exactly what happened…he felt that the details weren't important.) But he knew how much Jiraiya meant to Naruto so he agreed to go.

The blonde rapped on the regally engraved door of the rather large, fancy house as Sasuke stared in awe. _What job does he have again?_ Jiraiya got to the door after about ten knocks, smiling apologetically and rubbing his neck.

"Sorry, my maid's on vacation and in my old age it takes me awhile to get to the door."

"You gave her a vacation from your molesting?" Naruto teased as he stepped inside.

"Shut it, twerp," Jiraiya growled as he shoved the blonde into the sitting room, attempting to muffle his affectionate smile. His eyes then fell on Sasuke and the younger man shuffled nervously. _Those eyes…there's something about them that I've never liked._

"Urh…Iruka wanted us to tell you that if you need any help at all, just let him know and he'll do all that he can," Sasuke mumbled, avoiding eye contact with the white haired man.

"Mmn, that's kind of him," Jiraiya muttered, not really paying attention, his eyes never leaving Sasuke's face.

Just when Sasuke was sure he would cave under the intense stare, Naruto called "Oi, what's taking you guys so long?"

Taking this as his chance for escape Sasuke eagerly hurried into the house, following Naruto's voice into the sitting room. The tan man was sprawled over a dark purple armchair in the most awkward pose Sasuke had ever seen, but Naruto apparently found it comfortable. He heard the door click shut and Jiraiya entered, giving Naruto the same confounded look Sasuke wore.

"What the hell are you doing, boy? You can't possibly sit that way on an everyday basis."

"Oh no?"

"No," Sasuke and Jiraiya answered in unison.

Naruto frowned then his mouth split into a cheesy grin. "You're right," he admitted, changing his position to sit like a normal person.

The two standing men exchanged exasperated glances. "Does twenty years of age mean anything to you?" Jiraiya asked, taking a seat on the sofa. Sasuke followed suit and flopped into another armchair next to Naruto's.

"What do you mean?"

"You still act like you need diapers."

Sasuke chuckled and Naruto stared his father-figure straight in the eyes. "I never stopped using them." The complete lack of expression on Naruto's face and the seriousness with which he said the statement almost made Sasuke believe him.

Jiraiya scoffed. "Nice try, son. I'm not that dull."

Naruto giggled in pleasure at being called 'son'. "I'm gonna go get the food Iruka sent with us ready," he said, skipping into the kitchen.

Sasuke watched him go, chuckling and shaking his head. The blonde left a pleasant atmosphere which Sasuke basked in. There was a calming silence and he thought he might not even need to make awkward small talk with the older man.

"Sasuke."

Bloody hell.

"Yes?" The raven asked, turning to look at Jiraiya's grave face.

"Have they gotten any farther in the investigation?" His voice shook slightly with desperation.

Sasuke's face softened. Of course the wound was still fresh. "No, we don't have any leads as of now."

Jiraiya's face fell. "I see…"

"But don't worry," Sasuke said quickly. "My brother is in charge – he'll catch the person responsible in no time. He's the best!" he said, offering a weak grin.

"Thanks Sasuke," he said softly, honestly, flashing a thankful smile of his own. The smile caused Sasuke to freeze and his own grin to fall.

The man's normally brilliantly white teeth were tinted slightly red.

"I'm baaaack, with pie!" Naruto exclaimed cheerfully as he burst in with three slices of cherry pie. "Something wrong, Sasuke? You look like someone just walked over your grave."

"N-no," Sasuke replied, composing himself. "I'm just hungry. You took too long, dobe."

Naruto stuck out his tongue and bit a chunk out of Sasuke's pie before giving it to him. Sasuke flipped him off to return the favor, causing Naruto to scowl and Jiraiya to chuckle.

The three men ate their pie greedily and Naruto and Jiraiya chattered noisily, recalling amusing memories, while Sasuke ate in silence. When they finished they decided it was polite and necessary to toast Tsunade, praying that she would rest in peace. Afterwards, it was clear that Jiraiya needed a few moments so the two younger men excused themselves to go get a few breaths of fresh air.

The cold air chilled Sasuke's skin but the memory of those reddened teeth froze his very marrow.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

The door closed with a soft swoosh behind Naruto and Sasuke as they left Jiraiya's house at 9 PM. Naruto, with a skip in his step, was in quite a pleasant mood while his friend was exactly the opposite. Sasuke was quite sullen over the fact that he couldn't question Naruto about Jiraiya's oddly-colored teeth. He lost that option as soon as the man's teeth sunk into the breaded crimson mass.

Sasuke sighed but let the matter drop. It gnawed at his curiosity like a fierce beast desperate for food, only he was desperate for information, solid facts that made sense. But it wasn't his main priority.

He sighed again, this time out of irritation at his blonde friend. The idiot must've forgotten about him or something because Naruto was now so far ahead that Sasuke couldn't see him anymore. The quickly thickening darkness wasn't helping much either. A passing thought crossed his mind as he wound through the main streets and alleyways that he should probably be scared. His heartbeat should quicken, his breathing become rapid, his steps become fast and clumsy, the whole shebang. There _was_ a serial killer on the loose.

But he felt no fear, which might be surprising to others. Sasuke had always felt at home in the darkness, much safer than in the daylight anyways, that was for sure. The sun's rays made it oh-so-easy for someone to watch you, to observe your expressions and actions, to get to roughly know you. This was not good. After all, the one main point stressed in his studies was that murderers normally go after someone they know, someone they might hold a grudge against.

A cold wind picked up and hit him square in the back, causing him to shiver as it caressed the hairs on the back of his neck. He pulled his collar up as high as it could go and increased his pace. A familiar voice, however, stopped him.

"It's cold out tonight." The voice was quiet, depressed, but not directed at him. Sasuke moved forward a few more steps and peered down the dark alley to his right, seeing two figures facing each other in very close proximity.

"Yes, but we won't be for long," Kabuto's calm yet eager voice floated back to him. This caught Sasuke by surprise. _What the hell is Kabuto doing here?! _Why_ is he here?_ He heard the rustling of clothes and decided that he definitely did not want to see this. He was about to leave when Shizune's faint sobs echoed throughout the alley. "Shh don't cry, love. This won't just be another job for you. I'll help you forget all about Tsunade…"

Sasuke saw Kabuto press Shizune against the wall and move in front of her and decided it was time for him to go. As he hurriedly walked back to the orphanage he thought about Shizune and Kabuto, and he realized that right now Sakura could be 'servicing' another filthy hog, in some other alley.

His fists clenched and his teeth ground together. He wished that the Ripper would kill every single one of her customers.

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1 The Ten Bells is actually the name of the pub where the five victims would hang out at in the movie 'From Hell'. I'm not sure if it's actually a real place though.

2 Just so you know, the reason they're acting so familiar is because Sasuke knew Tsunade, Shizune, and Kurenai before he moved and before they were prostitutes. Temari, however, is new.


	6. Ch 5 The First Lead

A/N: Heya! It's been about a month since I updated, my bad. I was in Gatlinburg, Tennessee with my friend for the most of spring break, and after that I had final essays all week in school, so I was just kind of busy. But I have another chapter for you now, so it's all good. Heads up, either after this chapter or one more chapter I'll probably take a break from this story so I can try to write my first TDK one-shot. Anyways, hope you enjoy this!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

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Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 5: The First Lead

Shizune wandered the streets of Whitechapel and passed the Ten Bells but did not go in. She had the passing thought that this was the first time in a long time that she walked in a straight line with clear vision after servicing for the day. The alcohol normally helped to dull the memories, to distract her from the fact that she had just "made love" to another man she didn't love.

Which was why the alcohol wasn't required tonight.

She sighed but it was a sigh of subtle contentment, not frustration. The clear-headedness that came with being sober, she had forgotten its bliss. It was a high in itself.

The dark haired woman glanced around and noticed that the crowds were thinning out. She picked up her pace. She wasn't stupid and she wasn't going to trick herself – she was probably next. However, that didn't mean she was going to make it easy.

Staying at Sakura's small place would probably be her best option, but her and the others were caught and kicked out last time they tried that. The landlord was most definitely keeping an eye out for her.

The streets were almost completely clear now. The shops were all closed up and the only people still out were the drunkards who were just kicked out of the Ten Bells by the now-closing manager. She needed to think of something fast. If she had to be alone then she at least needed to hide. As she scurried to the junk-filled area behind one of the houses she realized that some might think she was paranoid. But it would be her paranoia that kept her alive, so they could all bugger off.

Some broken storage crates caught her attention and she examined them calculatingly. The pile was high and it looked like there was just enough space for her to wedge in behind them. It wouldn't be comfortable in the slightest but it was safer than just standing in the middle of the streets, waiting.

"Shizune, you're skinny but even you can't fit behind there," a deep voice said from directly behind her.

Shizune froze, a look of horror slowly twisting her features. There was no way he could've been following her. She took all the twists and turns possible in Whitechapel after Kabuto left, just for this reason.

"This is a nice location, thanks for showing it to me," he mocked. "I hope that the next poor chap to step out this door doesn't mind getting blood on his shoes."

_Scream,_ her mind begged. _SCREAM!_ She opened her mouth dutifully but the only sound that came out was choked gurgling as his blade dug deep into her throat and thick blood filled her lungs.

He pressed his lips to her ear as he dug the knife deeper. "The hyena always hunts down the vermin who _leaves_ him in his time of need. Laughing, all-the-way." Each word came with a matching thrust, a comparative new crimson hole in Shizune's pale flesh. Metal glinted in the dim light from the gas-lamps as ripping and stretching noises, horrid, horrid sounds, played a symphony for the man who conducted the Orchestra of Hell.

And oh, the blood squelching under his feet as he worked made such lovely background music.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Saturday, 8 September 1888 – 6:40 A.M._

Sasuke couldn't sleep at all which was the only reason he was able to catch Itachi hastily and noisily throwing on clothes and cursing quietly.

"Itachi, what's wrong?" Sasuke asked worriedly when his brother tried to sneak past his room.

"There's been another murder," Itachi mumbled, pausing outside of Sasuke's room to pull on his shoes.

This made Sasuke alert. He quickly leapt out of bed and began ripping his nightclothes off and replacing them with the first things he grabbed.

Itachi paused in the act of tying his shoes to give Sasuke a stern look. "May I enquire as to what you are doing, little brother?"

Sasuke, now fully dressed, turned to glare. "I'm going with you. I don't care what you say, Itachi. I'm an adult now. You can't shield me from the world forever."

Itachi returned the glare. "Watch me, foolish little brother, watch me." He then turned and stormed to the stairs. "Come on."

Sasuke slipped on his shoes without tying them and hurried down the stairs after his brother. When they were on the streets Itachi didn't run but walked at a very brisk pace, his anxiousness powering every step.

"Where are we headed?" Sasuke asked. He had to increase his speed to keep up with his brother.

"29 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields," Itachi replied simply, seeming to know where he was going. Sasuke definitely didn't.

They arrived at the scene after ten minutes of swift walking. Orochimaru was already there, calmly giving orders to the constables. Kakashi and Shikamaru were crouched by the body, blocking it from view. When they saw Itachi they stood up, faces grim, revealing the body to all.

Sasuke fell against the side of the building and covered his mouth, trying to force back the rising vomit. He closed his eyes and took deep, steadying breaths. When he opened his eyes again Itachi was staring at him with worry and also a disapproving 'I-told-you-so' look.

Glaring into his brother's eyes defiantly, Sasuke flipped open his black notebook and uncapped his pen. "Begin."

Itachi looked unsure but business couldn't wait. He kneeled down by the body and scanned it slowly. "Location – on the ground near a doorway in the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields. Discovered at about 6 AM. Injuries – throat severed by two cuts, one deeper than the other. The abdomen is ripped entirely open and…"

Sasuke paused in his writing and looked up curiously when Itachi trailed off but directed his eyes to the ground quickly. He didn't want to attempt to hold down his food again.

After a few minutes Itachi continued in a surprised tone. "The uterus has been removed…"

The younger Abberline wrote this fact down and glanced up, careful to focus on Itachi and Shikamaru instead of the body. The two men were exchanging a weird glance which Sasuke drank in curiously.

Itachi stood up and moved away from the body to converse with Orochimaru. Making up his mind, Sasuke took a deep breath and turned to the corpse. His breathing became ragged when his eyes fell on the mutilated, crimson abdomen but he kept his stomach in control. His eyes continued to move up until he spotted the chopped up throat. An image of his mother's body, her throat severed and her stomach and abdomen shredded, entered his mind. He ground his teeth and bit back a growl.

Then he saw the face.

He gasped in surprise, recognizing that it belonged to the kind-hearted Shizune Chapman. Her face was contorted into a look of absolute horror and…recognition? Did Shizune _know_ who the killer was?

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_8:20 AM_

Back at the headquarters everyone was gathered around the small meeting table. This most recent murder had given them quite a few things to discuss.

"The death of Shizune Chapman is unfortunate and regrettable, but it has given us some new leads to work with," Itachi started, addressing the entire room. He nodded at Shikamaru.

"Judging by the deaths of Tsunade Ann Nichols, Shizune Chapman, and another unfortunate named Ino Tabrahm who may or may not have been a Ripper victim," Shikamaru said, "we have decided that Jack the Ripper is targeting a specific group – prostitutues."

Sasuke gasped loudly, attracting the attention of every person in the room.

"Something wrong, Sasuke?" Kakashi enquired.

Sasuke took a deep breath and shook his head. _The second most important thing stressed – don't let personal relationships interfere, by any means. But Sakura…_ "Continue," he said through gritted teeth.

Kakashi shot him a last worried look before returning to the investigation. "Now, an important thing to figure out is whether the Ripper is killing prostitutes because of a grudge against them in general or because he has something against each victim personally. Unfortunately, that's quite difficult to figure out without asking the killer himself."

Everyone nodded in agreement, except for Sasuke who was dutifully scribbling down notes absently while his foot tapped impatiently and he switched sitting positions restlessly.

Suddenly a gas lamp went off in his head.1

"If we can't figure that out yet then can we settle for just trying to keep them off the streets for now?" he asked eagerly.

"How do you propose to do that?" Orochimaru asked, his golden eyes glinting.

"I'll tell them the danger they're in," Sasuke insisted.

"You're going to tell half of the female population of East End to quit their professions for as long as it'll take us to catch this criminal?" Orochimaru asked, smirking and leaning back in his chair. "Good luck."

Sasuke shot a glare at him. "Fine, I won't tell them personally. I'll go to the newspapers. The public needs to know. Prostitutes read the paper too, you know." It was his turn to mock.

To his surprise Orochimaru chuckled. "I admire your persistence, Sasuke dear."

Sasuke gawked as did Itachi. Where did this 'dear' rubbish come from?

"Very well. I'll inform the newspaper staff personally of our new findings, some of them at least, and of your idea."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed but he relaxed and turned his gaze back toward his brother. Itachi's face was strangely expressionless. He was normally monotone but this was different. His expression was hardened. It caught Sasuke by surprise.

"The other thing that was agreed upon was that the killer most definitely has a working knowledge of dissection," Itachi stated, refocusing back on the main issue.

"A working knowledge of dissection," Orochimaru repeated. "So he is most likely an educated man."

"Yes, there's a very high chance of that," Itachi confirmed. "Possibly a butcher or a doctor."

Sasuke's heart skipped a beat. The others continued talking but he didn't hear a word.

_A working knowledge of dissection…possible a doctor…Kabuto!_ Now that Sasuke added up the facts, the silver haired man seemed extremely suspicious. Not to mention he was probably one of the last people, if not the last, to see Shizune alive…And wouldn't it be oh-so-convenient for him, being the one to perform the autopsies? As soon as the bodies came into his hands he could erase any signs that he was behind it, and the police would have no idea.

He tightened his grip on the pen. Should he tell Itachi? Maybe. But first he had to warn Sakura and her friends.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

As soon as the meeting was over Sasuke shoved his chair out and made a beeline for the door. But an arm came out and blocked his path.

"Not so fast," Itachi mumbled.

"What, Itachi?" Sasuke hissed impatiently.

Itachi observed him with a strange expression before patting him on the shoulder. "Good work today," he said, moving out of his brother's way.

Sasuke was stunned for a moment by his brother's unusual words and also slightly suspicious but then he remembered his job. He took the quickest path he knew from the headquarters to the Ten Bells, crossing his fingers the entire way, hoping she would be there.

No luck However, the bartender did suggest to check the public wash area. Of course, Sakura and her friends were probably still cleaning themselves and "freshening up" for business. After asking for directions Sasuke tipped the bartender a small amount and headed to the core of Whitechapel.

He arrived at the wash area at about 10:40 AM. All it was really was a large trough like one used for pigs, filled with what probably used to be clean water. Gathered around it were a decent number of unfortunate women.

It wasn't hard to locate the diamond in the rough.

Perched around the right side of the trough were Sakura and her friends, or the rest of them at least. As Sasuke took a step towards them he was suddenly flooded with a sense of guilt and nervousness. What if Sakura was still angry at him…? Oh well. This was more important. He strode the rest of the way with confidence.

Kurenai was the first to see him. "Hey kiddo," she said, offering him a lazy smile. Her greeting caught the attention of Temari and Sakura who both turned around with interest.

"Hey it's your boyfriend, Sakura!" Temari teased which only earned her a glare from both Sakura and Sasuke.

"He's nothing even remotely close to that," she mumbled, frowning at the ground.

"Alright, whatever you say," Temari said, dismissing it with a wave of her hand. She focused her attention on Sasuke. "So what brings you here, love?"

"I came to tell you all something important. Actually, it's more like a warning."

The three women looked up in surprise. "What is it?"

Sasuke glanced around him. There were many prostitutes around looking at him with interest. He didn't want to cause a panic… "Not here," he mumbled. "Can we talk at your room, Sakura?"

She examined him with slight suspicion before hesitantly nodding.

Sakura led the way to her small room, letting the others in before entering herself. She turned around and crossed her arms, facing Sasuke. "What's so important, Sasuke?"

"I'll explain it all I guess. The reason I came back to Whitechapel is because Itachi was put in charge of the Jack the Ripper case, and it would be good experience for me for when I become an inspector. After the murder of Shizune, Itachi determined that the Ripper is targeting prostitutes specifically." He paused and watched as Temari gasped and Kurenai's eyes widened. Sakura merely nodded solemnly.

"That's not surprising. We make a lot of enemies in our profession," she said quietly. Sasuke was still amazed – Sakura had always been wise beyond her years.

"But more importantly, you three need to stay off the streets until we catch the killer."

What?! Are you joking?" Temari was the first to explode. "Who knows how long you'll take, with the incompetence the police are showing!"

"We're doing the best we can," Sasuke said through gritted teeth. "We do have one lead. Jack the Ripper has to have a working knowledge of dissection to do what he's doing. We're going to try to work from there."

Temari snorted. "So you're going to investigate every doctor in London?"

"No, I already have a suspect…" he said hesitantly.

All three girls perked up. "Who?" Sakura asked.

"…I don't have proof yet, so I can't say anything…Just stay off the streets, please, at least at night."

"That's when we get the most business, Sasuke. We won't earn enough money that way," Kurenai explained.

"Fine, here." Sasuke dug through his pockets and dumped all the money he had with him in Sakura's hands. "This should buy you three food for at least a week. I'll bring you more when I get it. You'll have to pay for the rent yourself though."

The three women gawked at the money.

"Sasuke, you don't have to do this," Sakura whispered.

"I know."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_12:00 PM_

When Sasuke returned to headquarters he was surprised to be greeted by dozens of annoyed faces, Orochimaru's the most seething. However, the anger wasn't directed at him.

"Itachi, what's wrong?" he asked once he spotted his brother's face in the crowd.

Itachi said nothing and merely nodded in the direction of a tall, older man with odd purple designs on his face who was standing and preaching at the front of the crowd:

"….and if any of you officers or inspectors are dissatisfied with the progress of the investigation, come to us and divulge all the information you have, and we'll be sure to get closer to catching the killer…."

"Who is that?" Sasuke asked, confused about the man and his antics.

Itachi frowned. "Interference."

1 Heh sorry, couldn't help making fun of the time period. :P


	7. Ch 6 A Promise Kept Forevermore

A/N: Hey all! Sorry, it's been a long wait, especially after the cliffhanger thingy in the last chapter. But I'm all done with finals now and it's summerrrrr! Well it's kind of been summer for awhile now, but I've just been preoccupied with chillaxing and enjoying it haha. Well here's another chapter for you, in which a lot gets revealed. Also, the hint word in this chapter won't make that much sense until further chapters. Unless you have a really amazing knack at remembering seemingly useless details, that is –wink wink-. Anyways, hope you all like it!

Disclaimer: I sadly still do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

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Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 6: A Promise Kept Forevermore

After the strange-looking man finished with his speech, for which he received no applause, he stepped gracefully down from the raised platform. He shook Orochimaru's hand, who looked absolutely livid, and thanked him for his time. Then he proudly strode towards the exit, grinning in an accomplished fashion. However, he stopped when his eyes caught sight of Itachi.

"Excuse me sir, but are you Itachi Abberline?" he asked politely.

Itachi's face became stony. "I am. And may I enquire as to who you are and what you're doing in our headquarters?"

"I mean no harm, sir," the man reassured. "My name is Kankuro Lusk, the Chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee."

"Oh, I've heard of that!" Sasuke stated in recognition. "It's a new group composed of citizens who patrol the streets at night, looking for suspicious characters."

Kankuro turned his attention to Sasuke, observing him with interest. "Yes, very good son. We merely seek to aid the police in catching this criminal. I, the same as you, wish to see no more innocent blood spilled."

"But you intend to do so by recruiting my own men from me. I'm afraid I cannot allow this," Itachi said coolly although Sasuke could tell how furious his brother was by his clenched fists.

"Do not word it like that, my dear man, for I am not trying to steal from you. If you recall, I merely _offered_ your men the option of joining my committee. I will not force them to do anything," the chairman promised. "Now I must really be on my way. Nice to meet you two gentlemen," he said as he tipped his hat. He shot Sasuke one last glance before continuing towards the exit.

Sasuke watched him go before returning his gaze to his brother. His face was perfectly composed but his clenched fists gave him away.

"Itachi, are you ok?"

The inspector glanced at his little brother for a moment before he turned on his heel. "I need to discuss something with Orochimaru," he mumbled as he walked gracefully away.

Sasuke watched him go as he stood there, at a loss. _What should I do now?_ Suddenly his stomach grumbled noisily and he realized he was extremely hungry seeing as he hadn't eaten a thing since he woke up. Since it didn't seem like he was needed ay the moment he decided to take a lunch break.

As he exited the headquarters a hand immediately caught his arm, causing him to whip around to face the person.

"Sorry, did I startle you?" Kankuro asked, releasing his grip. "I was just going to ask you something but you seem to be headed somewhere."

"I was just going to find somewhere to eat lunch," Sasuke replied, curious as to what the chairman wanted to ask him.

Kankuro's face brightened. "Oh really? So was I…Would you mind if I accompanied you?"

Sasuke was caught off guard by the request. "…Not at all."

"Alright, it's settled. Now where would you like to go?"

"It doesn't matter to me…Wait. Can we go to the Ten Bells?" he asked, trying to hide his sudden anxiety.

"The Ten Bells?" Kankuro asked in surprise. "If you want. I'll treat."

"Thanks…" _Sakura, will you be there?_

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

"Why did you allow him to do this?" Itachi demanded as he followed Orochimaru into the man's office. "This could lead to mutiny!"

Orochimaru sat calmly in his chair and observed Itachi with cold eyes. "Rest assured Itachi; I was under the pretense that he had information to present that involved the Ripper. I hadn't the slightest idea of his true intentions."

Itachi ran a hand through his hair in frustration and stalked over to the window near Orochimaru's desk.

"Do not lose your cool, Itachi," Orochimaru instructed. "Do you have that little faith in our men?"

"…Not all of them," Itachi stated, turning back to the older man. "Kakashi and Shikamaru would never betray me and Kabuto seems trustworthy enough."

"I see," Orochimaru said, interlacing his fingers and resting his chin on them. "And what of Sasuke? How loyal is he?"

Itachi's gaze hardened. "His loyalty is not questionable. Sasuke won't betray me."

"Really? How interesting…" At Itachi's seething glare Orochimaru nodded at the window. "Care to take a look?"

After a moment's hesitation the younger inspector directed his eyes to the window. His fists clenched tightly at the sight he saw.

"Sasuke won't betray me," Itachi repeated, his face stony as he watched Sasuke and Kankuro disappear from sight side by side.

"Yes, he could deny the offer that the chairman proposes…but he could also accept it," Orochimaru murmured.

"…I'm going after them," Itachi decided and turned to the door.

"I would refrain from doing so if I were you," the older man suggested. "Let Sasuke decide for himself. This will determine where his loyalties truly lie."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Sasuke's fingers tapped nervously on the table as his eyes darted around the small pub. He caught no sight of shocking pink hair and found that he was both relieved and disappointed. He was glad that she took his advice and wasn't going outside as much…but he also wanted to see her.

Noticing Sasuke's wandering gaze, Kankuro coughed to bring attention back to himself. When the pair of coal eyes turned in his direction Kankuro smiled pleasantly.

"How's your casserole, err…I don't believe I ever caught your name," he said apologetically.

Sasuke poked his nearly untouched good. "It's good…and my name is Sasuke."

"Sasuke, I see. It's nice to officially meet you." The man's contagious grin didn't seem to be going away anytime soon. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice how young you are. What's a boy like you doing in such an investigation?"

"I'm not really _in_ it. I'm just here because my brother said it would be good experience for me since I intend to be an inspector in the future," Sasuke explained as he gave in to his hunger finally and began to devour the casserole.

"Your brother?" Kankuro inquired.

"Yeah, Itachi," Sasuke replied through a mouthful of food.

"Itachi Abberline is your older brother?" Kankuro repeated with a slow-spreading smirk. "How fascinating…" He patiently waited until Sasuke ate the last bite of his meal. "So tell me Sasuke, does your brother do a good job in the investigation?"

"Yeah, of course," the raven haired man responded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "He's the best inspector there is. Why?"

"No reason," the chairman said lightly, shrugging it off. Then he paused. "It's just that…"

Sasuke observed him suspiciously. "Just that what?"

"Now don't take this the wrong way, but it just seems like your group isn't making much progress…I mean three women have already been killed by this madman."

Sasuke's eyes hardened. "Two you mean. One victim has not yet been confirmed as the work of the Ripper. And we're trying as hard as we can."

"Sasuke…your team may be giving their best, but even you know that's not enough."

"…What do you mean?"

Kankuro sighed. "Your group and my committee…we both have the same goal but we're competing to reach it! Neither of us can possibly move forward if we have information that we're withholding from each other. It's pointless."

"What are you getting at?" Sasuke demanded.

"To be blunt, I want you to give me the information your brother has gathered. Let's face it Sasuke, the police aren't getting anywhere, and since you're Itachi's brother you probably have facts that no one else can give me –"

"So that's why you invited me to eat with you?" Sasuke asked in disgust. "Because you think I'm Itachi's little information bank? I should've known…" He shoved his chair out roughly and stormed to the doors. As he turned to the streets a firm hand gripped his arm.

"Now listen here, that was not my intention at all!" The chairman's face was for the first time twisted into an ugly scowl. "I wanted to talk to you because I saw that you had potential! I also saw that Itachi was oblivious to that. Tell me, how many times has he shielded you from the reality of the investigation? How often has he refused your ready assistance?"

Sasuke shot him a weak glare and shook his arm free. "It's just because he loves me…"

"Sasuke," Kankuro said more gently this time. "He doesn't see how talented, how strong, you can be. He's opening the door for you, true, but it's because you _insisted._ I'll give you an opportunity because you want to succeed _and_ I want you to succeed." He patted Sasuke's shoulder. "Just think about it. You don't have to let fraternal bonds chain you down. But like I said, I won't force you to do anything."

Kankuro flashed his usual warm smile before tipping his hat and strolling away, humming as he went.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_4:00 PM_

Sasuke had to try a few times to unlock Iruka's front door. His hand wasn't steady enough to turn the key successfully. Behind him he could feel Itachi's gaze boring into the back of his head. It was almost as if Itachi _knew_ the contents of Kankuro's and Sasuke's conversation.

After Sasuke had returned to the headquarters he did whatever was possible to avoid Itachi. The older man noticed this and Sasuke knew he was going to get chewed out for it.

He finally got the door open and stepped slowly inside. "Well, Naruto and Iruka won't' be home for another two hours," he pointed out somewhat nervously. Sasuke knew that there was no escaping Itachi's lecture. He might as well make the invitation himself.

"Hn," Itachi acknowledged the meaning behind the words in a distracted fashion. He took a seat at the kitchen table. "Sit down, Sasuke."

The younger brother sighed and pulled out a chair across from Itachi. "Look Itachi, is this about –"

"Sasuke," Itachi interrupted, causing Sasuke to gawk openly at him. His brother _never_ cut people off. _This must be pretty damn serious_, Sasuke thought. "I want you to stay away from Kankuro Lusk," he said bluntly.

Sasuke was taken aback. That's not what he was expecting. "Why? He seems like a good man."

Itachi scoffed. "You're so blind."

Sasuke glared, offended by the harsh words. "He's trying to catch Jack the Ripper too, isn't he? How is that bad?"

The elder Abberline sighed. "It's about intentions, Sasuke. You should know that through your studies. It applies to the good people, too." Sasuke's confused expression encouraged him to elaborate. "A person may kill another person because the life of a family member is threatened. Therefore, they performed a bad deed with good intentions. Kankuro Lusk is trying to stop the Ripper, not because he wants people to stop dying but because it's the perfect opportunity for him to gain recognition. He's doing a good deed with bad intentions."

Sasuke's fists clenched. "You don't know that."

"Sasuke." Itachi observed him gently. "What did he tell you?"

He looked his older brother straight in the eyes. "He thinks I can help him catch the killer. He sees potential in me! He knows I can do it!"

Itachi's eyes turned cold. "Sasuke, don't you _dare _think about joining –"

"Why not?" Sasuke demanded. "I'm an adult; I can make my own choices."

"Sasuke!" Itachi pushed himself to his feet roughly. "Is this because of Sakura?"

He froze at the mention of her name. "How do you know about her?"

"Iruka told me all about her. Sasuke, don't get personal. She's a possible victim. You'll only get hurt –"

"Not if we actually do something!" Sasuke kicked the table in frustration and stormed to the door. "Maybe Kankuro was right. You opened the door for me, but you don't want me to go through it."

"Sasuke, what –"'

SLAM!

Itachi watched the closed door sadly as he heard his brother's heavy footsteps disappear. "I don't want to let you go because I don't want to _lose_ you…why are you so blind?"

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Sasuke pushed open the rusted gates of Whitechapel Cemetery slowly, clutching two newly purchased roses in his fist. The creaking sound the gate made as he closed it was akin to the screeching made by a victim, their screams becoming higher pitched as their fear and pain escalated.

He followed the path he previously walked once before in his life but it was as familiar to him as the skin on his body. He stopped at the last row of graves and walked along the right section until he found the area reserved especially for the world-renowned inspector, Fugaku Abberline, and his loving wife, Mikoto. The son of the two magnificent people kneeled down between the graves, placing a rose on each side.

He released a long sigh. "Hey mom, dad. It's been awhile, hasn't it? Sorry. Itachi and I have been busy…and Whitechapel doesn't hold the best memories, either." He paused to run his fingers over the cold but dry marble headstones. "I need your advice. I don't know if you can answer me, but I know you can hear me. It's just that…God, I'm so confused right now!" Sasuke lost his control and clutched his head tightly as he curled into a ball, leaning against his mother's headstone. "I don't know what to do! Our old friends are dying and Sakura might be killed too! And I can't talk to Itachi because he won't listen! I can't tell if he wants the best for me or if he wants to hold me back…I need your help…I need _you_."

Dry sobs racked his body and he hugged himself tighter. He pressed his forehead against his father's marble tombstone but almost pulled away from the fierce cold it emanated. However he forced his head to stay and found that the warmth of his forehead tamed the coldness and caused the marble to become cool.

Suddenly the sobs stopped and his head shot up. Realization washed over him. He examined the marble skeptically. Two extremes can never coexist if they refuse to reach out and communicate. However, if the two touch and make contact they can mix and create a less extreme middle ground. Sasuke needed to show Itachi how important Sakura was to him. He needed to touch his brother's heart.

He pushed himself to his feet and patted the dirt off his pants. "Thank you, mother. Father." Sasuke bent down and brushed his lips lightly on the top of each tombstone. He turned to head back to the gate when he noticed how dark it became. _I guess I lost track of time…_ His eyes scanned for the exit but instead his gaze focused on something else. He froze, his heart beating quickly as his eyes locked on the dark figure standing in the street in front of the cemetery. Sasuke couldn't see clearly enough to discern whether the figure was facing him or had his back to him, but he _could_ tell that it was a man.

Sasuke tried to steady his panicked breathing as he crouched down and began to crawl towards the gate, keeping his eyes glued on the man. Once he arrived at the gate he could see that the man wasn't just standing there as he originally thought. The figure was actually looking around, scanning the ground. It seemed he was trying to find something.

Suddenly the man turned, not in Sasuke's direction thankfully, and walked towards one of the side streets that were lit with gas lamps. The light was reflected off his circular glasses and Sasuke's eyes narrowed. All his fear disappeared and was replaced with suspicion. Eager to see what Kabuto was up to, Sasuke hopped the gate instead of risking the creaky door and crept a safe distance behind him.

The silver haired man stopped, staring at something at his feet, and opened his closed fist. The light shined off whatever it was and Sasuke craned his neck to get a better look. Then Kabuto uttered a frustrated growl which evolved into a pained scream. He re-closed his fist and slammed it into the wall with a resounding crack. He took no notice of his bleeding, broken hand and instead did it again. "IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO END THIS WAY!" His shriek caused Sasuke to flinch and momentarily close his eyes out of reaction to the loud noise. When he reopened them Kabuto was standing with his head bowed, panting. Then he made a jerky movement and flung whatever it was he was holding at the sewer grate at his feet and trudged away without looking back.

If he had glanced back he would've seen the small ring bounce off the sewer grate and land a few feet way, and he would've seen the young Abberline pick it up.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Itachi stood up the moment the door opened, relief flooding his features. "Sasuke, where were you? It's nearly 8:30. I was –" He was silenced by a body crashing into his and arms encircling his waist.

"I know. You're worried about me. I'm sorry, I know," Sasuke murmured, burying his face in his brother's shirt.

Itachi slowly encased Sasuke's frame in his arms. "What's wrong, little brother?"

"I _love_ her, Itachi. I love Sakura." Sasuke paused but Itachi said nothing, so he continued. "I know you said not to get personal but it's too late now. Now I need to do everything I can to keep her safe. You have to understand. If Sakura dies while I can prevent it…I'll never forgive myself. I won't abandon her again. I can't."

Itachi sighed and released Sasuke, holding his shoulders. He was smiling. "You have mother's heart, foolish little brother. I just don't want you to meet the same end as her…"

"I won't. I'm your brother, after all. I'll be careful," Sasuke reassured with a grin.

"Sasuke…just please remember that you're not in this alone. The two of us are in this together."

Sasuke smiled and gave his brother one more hug. He clutched Itachi to himself tightly. "I know."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Saturday, 15 September 1888 – 2:00 PM_

Shizune's funeral was small and short in length. The only attendants from the investigation were Itachi, Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Kabuto. Sakura, Kurenai, and Temari along with some of Shizune's other acquaintances were there also. Sakura caught Sasuke's eye at one point and flashed him a small smile which he returned. He decided not to make any further contact with her until the end of the funeral though.

When the last shovelful of dirt was scooped onto Shizune's grave Sasuke made a move towards Sakura and her friends.

"Where are you going?" Itachi asked loudly, halting Sasuke in his tracks.

The younger brother caught on quickly. He held up his notebook and pen. "I'm going to see whether that lot over there has any helpful information," he replied.

"Alright, well then Orochimaru and I will question that group," Itachi said, nodding towards the acquaintances.

Sasuke nodded and smiled when his back was facing them. He noticed that Kabuto was already talking with the women and he approached them silently.

"I'm very sorry for your loss, ladies," Kabuto said sincerely. "It's a horrible tragedy, what happened to Shiz – Ms. Chapman."

Kurenai observed him skeptically. "Hey, you're him aren't you? You're the one Shizune always talked about!"

Kabuto feigned confusion. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about…"

"No, she's right!" Temari said. "You have the same type of glasses that Shizune always said were so cute. You're the guy she was head over heels in love with. I know she was probably happy to be with you on her last night on earth," she said in a way she probably thought was comforting.

Kabuto opened his mouth to say something when Sasuke appeared in his peripheral vision. His eyes widened with a strange expression and he mumbled "Please, I'm afraid you have the wrong man" before quickly leaving.

Temari frowned as she watched him go. "Well what was that all about?"

Sakura turned her glance to Sasuke and realization suddenly hit her. "No Sasuke, Temari said the wrong thing. Don't –"

But he already walked away.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

When Sasuke returned to Whitechapel Cemetery at 3:30, a fresh rose in his hand, everyone was gone. Everyone but one. Just as he thought.

Kabuto was crouched by Shizune's grave, caressing the colorful bouquet he laid there with his good hand, grieving soundlessly. Sasuke went to stand beside him, placing the rose beside the bouquet, and the older man shot him a tired look. His face looked so much older all of a sudden.

"Are the police coming for me soon? I assume you've already told them I'm a likely suspect," Kabuto said wearily. "Or do you intend to gain fame by making the grand arrest yourself?"

Sasuke feigned a pondering look. "Hmm well I'm afraid a grand arrest is impossible when the suspect has evidence supporting his innocence." Kabuto looked up with a mix of surprise and confusion. In answer Sasuke pulled out the small silver ring and slid it over the stem of the prettiest flower in the bunch. The small but beautiful diamond glittered subtly in the sunlight. "I think she would like to know, too, even if it was only what could've been."

Kabuto hesitated before reaching out and brushing the ring with a feather-light touch. His lips trembled. "I wanted to be with her forever, but now that's impossible."

Sasuke placed a comforting hand on the man's shoulder. "She did too, which is why we need to try harder now more than ever to catch the bastard responsible for all of this. We can't let anyone else end up this way…we can't allow him to break another woman's body, or another man's heart."

Kabuto stayed silent. After a few minutes he tried to speak but released a strangled sob instead. He attempted to compose himself and when he finally spoke his voice was cracking. "No one will ever know that I loved her…they'll never know that she would've had a better life with me!"

"…Yes they will." Sasuke crouched down close to Shizune's headstone and pulled out his expensive pocketknife from his back pocket. He flipped it open and began to scratch and chip away at a certain spot on the concrete. Kabuto observed him curiously until he caught on and took out his small knife to help Sasuke carve. Two no maybe three hours passed, Sasuke didn't know anymore. The two men diligently dug into the concrete, stopping for breaks only occasionally.

Finally after much time and work a small shallow hole appeared in the concrete. Sasuke observed it with satisfaction and gently pulled the ring off the flower. He pushed the silver band slowly but firmly into the little hole, praying it would fit. It was a tight squeeze but the ring made it in and was held securely in place by the strong concrete around it.

Sasuke and Kabuto stepped back and let the rays of the setting sun hit the diamond, splashing small dots of red, yellow, and orange over the two men's bodies. Sasuke smiled and looked over to see Kabuto's eyes becoming watery.

"Sasuke…thank you, thank you so much." Kabuto took a deep breath and released it, allowing a small smile to appear on his face.

The small headstone read:

Shizune Chapman

September 1841 – September 1888

And then there was a promise.

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A/N: Just wanted to add down here that I found this PC game called Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper, and I'm uber excited!! You can actually follow Jack the Ripper and try to solve the case to find out who he is. I'm going to get it tomorrow. Only $20 at Best Buy! WOOT!


	8. Ch 7 Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper

A/N: Urh…last update was in June. O.o I'm sorry! I've had a case of writer's block because I had to make a time skip to get from the last chapter to this one, and I didn't want to. But I didn't want to make a filler chapter filled with useless junk that helps the plotline in no way whatsoever either. So finally SpacePirateGirl encouraged me just to make the skip and I took her up on that offer. So thank you for that, Selena! But yeah, here it is! Yet again, I apologize for the wait. But oh guess what? I just started sophomore year in high school! :D WOO!

Oh, yeah, this is important. Instead of an underlined word I gave you a phrase this time, and it's not something that bluntly tells you what to look for in the killer. Pay attention to how it's used. You have to decipher it yourself. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; you should know that by now.

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"_You will soon hear of me with my funny little games." _

_~Jack the Ripper; Dear Boss letter_

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 7: Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper

"Here's the red ink you requested, sir."

The man was drawn out of his daydreaming by the clerk's cheerful words. "Ah yes, thank you." He pulled out his wallet and paid for his item, snatching the paper bag close to his chest when he was done.

"Have a good day, sir," the innocent clerk said with a wave.

"Oh, I will, don't you worry," the man responded once he was out the door, chuckling at the morbid joke that made sense only to himself. He made his way to the corner of the street where the hansom was waiting for him.

"Hold up dearie, you don't want to turn in just yet do you? The night is still young!" A ragged looking middle aged woman latched onto the man's arm and he gritted his teeth, his good mood put out like a flame.

"Let go of me," he hissed, attempting to hold onto his swiftly dwindling self-control.

"I promise you won't regret it," she whispered seductively into his ear, filthy hands traveling to places they shouldn't.

He thrashed his arm wildly, successfully dislodging her hold. "Filthy whore," he spat in disgust, leaving the glaring woman to step into the comfort of the black hansom.

"They can't seem to resist you, eh sir?"

The man's fists tightened at the driver's foolish words. How naïve. "Whores don't _prefer_ any single man, dear boy. Any man foolish enough to throw down precious coins to waste a night inside the scum of this world will do just fine for them. They have no dignity, no conscious, and no _loyalty_."

The coach driver flinched at the harsh words. "They aren't your favorite bunch, are they sir?"

The man barely restrained the words 'I'd like to see to it that they're all dead'. It wouldn't be very good at all if the coach man made a connection that he shouldn't. Instead he replied with, "I think the world would be a better place without them, is all."

"Ah, I see sir. Now where else will we be off to?"

"Just take me home, please. I have some…business to attend to."

"Very good sir."

The man stepped out of the coach not five minutes later and took a deep breath of the putrid London air. It wasn't refreshing in the slightest but he would be inside for the rest of the night so he wanted whatever he could get. He turned back to the driver and paid him his due plus a little extra. "Thank you, dear boy."

The driver's face betrayed pleasant surprise at the hefty amount. "Thank you, sir! Have a good night!"

When the coach rumbled noisily out of sight the man unlocked his door and entered. Though dark he found the light switch with ease and sighed in contentment at the familiarity of his home. As he removed his shoes the paper package in his fist crinkled, reminding him of the task at hand and sending a thrill of excitement down his spine.

His movements became more hurried as he shed his coat and poured himself a glass of wine in the kitchen. He then took his bag and his drink into his study where he made himself comfortable. Taking a sheet of plain paper, he unsheathed his new bottle of red ink and fetched his best quill.

"Can't have them all thinking I've been slacking off. No, Jacky isn't done yet. This'll just be a little reminder for the lot." The man chuckled to himself and dipped his quill into the bottle, coating the tip in a generous amount of crimson. When he pulled it out the excess ink plopped back into the bottle in irregular drops, and he tightened his fist around the quill to maintain his control. "No, it's not time. Not yet. Jack's knife will feel whore blood again, but not tonight." He positioned his writing utensil over the top of the paper thoughtfully. "How to begin, how to begin…oh, that's it. Dear Boss…"

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Saturday, 29 September 1888 – 10:00 AM_

Sasuke found that he liked Kabuto very much. He was a good listener even though he didn't always have answers. And talking to the older man certainly decreased the amount of stress in Sasuke's life and he guessed Kabuto just liked the company. So it resulted that every Saturday (in respect of the week day of Shizune's death, and their team work on that day) the two would meet at Whitechapel Cemetery and, after paying respect to their dearly departed, they would talk. They found they had a lot in common and it only fed the bond they formed on that fateful Saturday which now seemed so long ago to Sasuke.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long enough.

On the 25th, a man wrote a letter. On the 27th the Central News Agency received it. On the 29th, it was forwarded to Scotland Yard. Its contents were fear and chaos.

It was a Saturday. Naturally, Sasuke was in a good mood. Saturdays meant meetings with Kabuto, or therapy time as they joked, after work at the headquarters which was normally uneventful seeing as they had no new leads. The lack of success was frustrating, especially for Itachi. Their parents' murder was the only case he couldn't solve, and Sasuke knew that his brother would be furious if another one was added to the list. They needed a lead.

Thus, when the letter arrived bearing the name Jack the Ripper, it was greeted with both despair and relief.

When Sasuke casually stepped into the headquarters and found the halls buzzing with men rushing back and forth to different offices, it took him by surprise. "What's going on?" he demanded of a twitchy police officer he was able to catch by the arm.

"We just received a letter from Jack the Ripper," he said hurriedly before rushing off again.

A horrid mix of excitement and dread took over Sasuke and he joined the squirming masses until he squeezed out by Orochimaru's large office. He ducked in the doorway and saw Orochimaru, Itachi, and who he assumed was a sort of handwriting analyst gathered around a desk.

"Let me see it," he breathed harshly. Itachi handed it to him wordlessly, a blank look on his face which meant that the gears in his head were working full force at the moment. Sasuke shot him one last glance before reading the contents of the letter aloud:

"25 Sept. 1888

Dear Boss,

I keep on hearing the police have caught me, but they wont fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track. That joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits. I am down on whores and I shant quit ripping them till I do get buckled. Grand work the last job was. I gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper _red_ stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with but it when thick like glue and I cant use it. Red ink is fit enough I hope _ha, ha_. The next job I do I shall clip the ladys ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly wouldn't you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife's so nice and sharp I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good luck

Yours truly

Jack the Ripper."

Sasuke, shaking with barely contained rage, then read the extra text that was added to the letter crosswise, as a postscript.

"Wasn't good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it. No luck yet. They say I'm a doctor now _ha ha_."

The analyst, noticing Sasuke's hands tightening around the letter as if to shred it, quickly and gently pried his hands off of it and cradled it to his chest. He then fled the room, probably to go try to make a match. Itachi was too deep in thought to take notice of Sasuke's furious state. Orochimaru, however, observed him with interest.

"Say what you feel, dear," he said smoothly, invitingly.

Sasuke ignored the 'dear' and allowed his thoughts to become words. "That bast – he's not even human – how can he – that monster!" he barked in unfinished phrases.

"It is quite terrible isn't it?" Orochimaru commented to coax more words out of Sasuke.

"It's beyond terrible! Not only does he perform these brutal killings but then he sends a gruesome letter to tease the police?! This man is sick! He's psychotic!"

"No, not psychotic," Itachi interrupted quietly, speaking for the first time. "The term psychotic indicates insanity and no knowledge of the difference between right and wrong. This man carries neither of these traits. He would better be classified as a psychopath. He is rational and intelligent, but by no means insane."

Sasuke, for once not marveling at his brother's genius, found it rather irritating instead. "I fail to see your point, Itachi."

Black eyes fixed themselves on Sasuke's face. "My point is that we've been wasting our time searching for a gorilla in human form when we should've been looking for a man who for reasons of his own has chosen to assume a gorilla costume."1

Orochimaru crossed his arms and tilted his head thoughtfully. "So in other words…"

Itachi nodded as if sensing Orochimaru's train of thought. "Yes. We need not pay attention to those who act suspicious. Rather it is the men who seem perfectly innocent whom we must observe."

Sasuke, his temper mostly soothed by the combination of Itachi's calm voice and Orochimaru's silky one, asked the obvious question. "Where do we start?"

"There is always the man dubbed 'Leather Apron' whom the killer mentions in his letter. Although Jack the Ripper seems to deny that they're the same person, he could always be trying to throw us off track." Itachi paused to mumble something to himself and shook his head. "But if we go with our current theory then this man who everyone is so suspicious of poses no threat and doesn't require our attention."

Orochimaru twirled some strands of hair between his fingers. Sasuke came to learn that this was what he did when he was pondering. Finally the pale inspector spoke. "We know that the Ripper is a man who is not easily caught, and he knows this, but it has not inflated his ego in a way that will endanger him. He may tease the police with letters and such, but as you noticed he leaves no hints whatsoever that might give him away. He is alert and cautious and will not needlessly endanger himself. If he knew he was suspected he would lie low and wouldn't send a letter like this one. Remember, this man does not want to be caught. This leads me to believe that this Leather Apron has no relation to Jack the Ripper whatsoever."

Itachi nodded and mumbled his assent. The two continued to share theories and hypotheses and Sasuke suddenly felt very small. He was a mere studying student standing in a room with the two greatest inspectors in London, maybe even in England! Any input he had to share would certainly not be new to his brother or Orochimaru.

Their overwhelming intelligence was suddenly oppressive and Sasuke found himself gasping for air. He excused himself from the room and also from the headquarters.

He wasn't going to meet Kabuto today. He wanted to distance himself from the presence of intelligence for awhile. He needed to be around someone simple. Then it hit him. Naruto was simple. He did a wide U-turn in the middle of the street and headed in a beeline toward The Smith Bakery. Once he arrived he quietly asked Iruka if he could help out. Although surprised Iruka agreed and gave Sasuke an old yellowing apron.

Naruto, bubbly with excitement at the idea of showing Sasuke the ropes, bounced from corner to corner of the small bakery, telling his friend what to do and what not to do. Sasuke, at first mellow and indifferent, gradually came to adopt some of Naruto's cheerfulness. This is exactly what he needed – a place where genius wasn't abundant and wasn't required. Baking also turned out to be quite enjoyable. Sasuke found himself having more fun the he'd had in awhile, even when he burnt his first loaf beyond recognition. Naruto, his ego greatly inflated at finding something he could beat his talented friend at, did not pause to rub it in. This resulted with Naruto in a headlock as Sasuke attempted to shove the inedible food into the blonde's tightly sealed mouth.

When the bakery closed at six, Naruto and Sasuke helped Iruka close up shop and the three walked home together, laughing.

Itachi still hadn't returned by the time Sasuke nestled into bed.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Sunday, 30 September 1888 – 3:00 PM_

Sasuke and the four inspectors looked up in surprise from their coffee when a panting police officer burst into the room. He bent over to catch his breath and Itachi was the first to leap to his feet.

"What's happened?" he demanded.

"The…the analyst sent me! He said…he's found a match! He wants to see you…immediately, sir."

Those words were all it took to cause the inspectors to forget their coffee and crowd around the police officer.

"Where does the analyst live?" Itachi enquired stonily, making no attempt to hide his impatience.

"23 Osborn Street," the officer answered, regaining his breath.

"Thank you." Itachi snatched his jacket from the coat rack and quickened his pace towards the exit. Sasuke, Orochimaru, Kakashi, and Shikamaru did the same and the five men were soon fighting through the hustle and bustle to hail down a hansom. They all piled in, Shikamaru and Kakashi on one side and Itachi, Sasuke, and Orochimaru on the other. As Itachi poked his head out the window and shouted "23 Osborn Street, please, driver!" Sasuke noticed how uncomfortably close he was to Orochimaru. This discomfort remained until they reached their destination and Sasuke was the first to exit, almost tripping as he did. Orochimaru chuckled knowingly and Sasuke glared, slightly suspicious that the man had intended this.

"Thank you," Itachi said quickly, placing a hefty amount of coins into the delighted driver's hand.

"G'day, sir!"

Itachi, in too much of a hurry to reply, led his companions up to the faded green door. He knocked sharply three times and waited. A minute passed and no one answered. Taken aback he knocked again, louder and longer. Two minutes this time. Itachi mumbled to himself and tested the door. It was unlocked. He cracked it open and called politely into the small apartment. "Excuse me, are you home? It's Inspector Abberline."

Still no reply.

"He couldn't be out. He called us here," Kakashi said.

"No, there's something wrong here," Shikamaru said slowly.

Itachi seemed to agree. He slowly opened the door the rest of the way and stepped inside, his footsteps light and quiet. The room was large but sparse of furniture, save for a few bookshelves and tables and a maroon sofa in the middle of the room. Sitting at the kitchen table was the handwriting analyst, slouched over, unmoving, a bowl of peanuts placed in front of him.

Something was definitely wrong.

Sasuke's heart thudded deafeningly and he swallowed the lump in his throat, hoping that would cover the noise of his cowardice. He glanced around nervously and noticed that Itachi was doing the same, but in caution. His brother locked eyes with Kakashi and nodded toward Shikamaru then toward one of the two other doors in the room. The two inspectors took the hint and crept quietly toward it. They slowly opened it and disappeared into blackness. Two minutes later they came back out, more relaxed.

"Clear," Kakashi whispered.

Itachi nodded but his shoulders still remained rigid. He looked at Orochimaru. The tall man glided over to the second door and slid through the cracked entrance. He also emerged unharmed not three minutes later and the entire group including Itachi visibly relaxed.

"Now that we know that no unwelcome visitors are here," Itachi said smoothly, walking over to the unresponsive analyst. He kneeled down and felt the man's wrist, checking for a pulse. He did the same to the neck and then placed his hand over the man's heart. Then, body tense and voice hard, he muttered without turning around, "This man is dead."  
Three sharp intakes of breath echoed throughout the room minus Sasuke who was holding his.

"Sasuke, go fetch Kabuto," Orochimaru directed without turning to face him.

Sasuke nodded and had just started toward the door to obey the order when Itachi said, "No, I want Sasuke here. The murderer may still be around. Kakashi, if you'll please."

The silver haired inspector nodded in understanding and took off. Itachi stood up and crossed his arms, staring at the body, pondering.

"Itachi, how are you so sure that it was a murder?" Sasuke asked, moving to stand next to his brother.

"I'm not. But when it comes to these situations, it's better to be suspicious than to give the benefit of the doubt." Itachi was silent for awhile. He then tilted his head to the side and mumbled something under his breath. "Sasuke," he finally said. "How good are your drawing skills?"

"Umm ok I guess," Sasuke answered, taken aback. "Why?"

"I want you to sketch this man's position and the surrounding area in your notebook. Kabuto will need to move the body to examine it so I want to have a picture just in case."

Sasuke nodded his consent, knowing there would be no point in questioning further. He pulled out his black notebook and skipped past the pages filled with notes and theories about Jack the Ripper until he reached a blank sheet. He then plopped himself Indian-style on the floor and got to work, glancing back and forth from the paper to the possible crime scene.

Itachi watched Sasuke for a few moments before turning to Orochimaru. "You and I will go inspect the two side rooms to see if we can find anything unusual. I doubt we will, since this room is the obvious scene of death, but it couldn't hurt." He looked at Shikamaru. "I want you to examine every nook and cranny of this room, please, and look for clues. Never leave this room unless one of us is in it." He shot a fleeting glance at Sasuke as he said this. "Let's get to work."

Sasuke vaguely noted the retreating footsteps and the shuffling and moving of objects as he focused on the task at hand. He could only do a good sketch if he was able to exert the entirety of his attention on it. Shikamaru seemed to respect this as he made no attempt to make small talk. Either that or he was just trying to focus too.

But Sasuke seemed to be focusing too intently on his job for the disturbing element of his task made itself known to him but did not disgust him. He was calmly drawing a picture of the body of a man who might've been subject to homicide. This might cause a normal person to be overcome by a wave of nausea or to feel the urge to run to their bathtub to viciously scrub away everything that had to do with corpses. He, however, was unaffected.

Itachi must be rubbing off on him.

He finished the sketch with a few minutes to spare on refining small details. By this time both Itachi and Orochimaru had returned so Sasuke handed the sketch to Itachi for approval. "Is this alright?" he asked.

Itachi's eyes scanned the expanse of the rough yet neat red scratches. He hummed proudly. "Not bad, little brother."

Sasuke allowed a small smile to flit onto his face, a visual sign of his newly raised self esteem. But no sooner had he smiled than suddenly the door creaked open and Sasuke froze, his eyes widening, refusing to look over. Kabuto followed by Kakashi entered and Sasuke blushed and mentally scolded himself. At least Itachi could be a calm paranoid.

"Everyone please move to the side. I need to lay the deceased on the floor." Swayed by Kabuto's professional tone, everyone but Kakashi cleared the area. Kabuto made the same simple checks that Itachi did to make sure that the man was indeed dead. Then Kakashi helped him gently lift the man and place him spread eagle on the floor.

For several minutes Kabuto hovered over the body, starting at the head and moving down until he reached the toes, moving clothing and pushing on skin. Finally he moved back to the head and the throat, tilting it and placing pressure on certain areas. Lastly he peeled open the eyelids and examined them thoroughly.

He switched his position so that he was kneeling on the floor by the body but facing the onlookers. "The victim died of lack of oxygen," he announced. "You can tell by the blue hue of the face and the bloodshot eyes. There are also bruises on the wrists, the throat, and the jaw line. This is all I can tell until I take him to the morgue to be more thoroughly examined."

"It seems he was strangled," Itachi observed.

"Maybe. But there is also the possibility that he choked."

Itachi opened his mouth to say something but Kabuto held up a hand to silence him. "The only way to tell is to check the throat. Kakashi, if you'll please."

Kakashi crouched by the head and gently tilted it back before prying open the mouth and holding it open wide. Kabuto slowly pushed his gloved hand into the mouth and Sasuke wanted to look away but forced himself not to. If he wanted to be able to face future murder scenes like his brother he would have to put up with this.

Kabuto removed his glistening hand, clutching a soggy peanut between two fingers. "The evidence," he said simply, placing it in a plastic bag.

"So was the victim strangled or did he choke, because the bruises and the peanut seem to clash," Sasuke said.

"I'll leave the deducting up to Itachi," Kabuto said, removing the soiled gloves. "I can present the facts but I can't draw conclusions from them."

Itachi was staring intently at the body and resting his mouth on his hand. "He wasn't strangled," he finally said though it was muffled by his fist. "But he didn't choke. He _was_ choked. The killer probably approached the victim from behind. He then leaped onto the victim and kneeled on his wrists to restrain him, thus the bruises. Then he forced the mouth open and pushed a peanut down with his other hand and held the victim there until he choked."2 He paused. "Here, I'll show you. Sasuke, sit in the victim's chair."

Sasuke, although hesitant, decided that questioning Itachi would result in nothing beneficial. He sat in the chair and Itachi approached from behind. "Although Sasuke knows that I'm coming I think it's safe to assume that the victim was none the wiser. I'll now leap onto Sasuke but of course I'll be gentler than the killer would have been." When Itachi was right behind Sasuke he rested one of his hands on the shoulder of the chair before pushing off and flinging himself over it and onto Sasuke's lap. He made it so that his knees landed on the arms of the chair. "The victim was resting his arms on the arms of chair, as we can confirm through Sasuke's sketch, so he would've been pinned there, but Sasuke's won't be in this demonstration."

Itachi grabbed Sasuke's throat with one hand and then reached back to the bowl of peanuts on the table and snatched one. Then he moved the hand that was originally on Sasuke's throat to his jaw and tilted his head back. The hand with the peanut opened Sasuke's mouth. "Then the killer would've forced the peanut down his victim's throat and held his mouth closed until he choked." Itachi replaced the peanut in the bowl and got off the chair, helping Sasuke up. "And if you need more proof than that, the peanut in this man's throat that Kabuto found still had the shell on it, proving that the victim did not just eat it and accidentally choke."

Orochimaru tilted his head to the side, smiling in what Sasuke assessed to be an approving way. "Excellent work, Itachi. But there are more questions yet to be answered. Who was the murderer?"

Shikamaru chose to answer. "I think it's a safe bet to say it's Jack the Ripper. The modus operandi is not the same, but that's because there's a different motive. Rather, Jack the Ripper didn't kill this man, but the man under the alias did."

"Proof?" Orochimaru enquired simply.

"Well I wouldn't call it proof, but look at the table." Everyone glanced at the simple wooden table. All that was on it was the bowl of peanuts and a three-candle rack in the middle. "Surprisingly empty of papers for a handwriting analyst who just made a breakthrough, especially one who needed to have them at the ready to show the inspectors he called down, wouldn't you say?"

Itachi's eyes widened. "He took all the papers. That means –"

Shikamaru nodded. "That means our analyst's match was right and Jack the Ripper somehow knew, so he disposed of him and the proof."

Itachi ground his teeth. "Did he have the original letter?"

"No, only a copy," Kakashi answered.

Itachi sighed and flexed his hands to relieve some of the frustration. "So we have no leads now, none at all. We're back to square one."

No one answered. No one wanted to confirm the depressing statement.

Kabuto was the one to break the silence. "What about him?" He gestured toward the deceased analyst. "Will we hide him from the press?"

"No," Itachi immediately answered. "His family and friends deserve to know. The body will be theirs and we'll cover the funeral bills. It's the least we can do for him; it's our fault. However, we'll tell the press that it was a burglar. Mention nothing about Jack the Ripper or the task the analyst was working on. The person to disobey this will be sacked without a second thought."

With that said Itachi spun around and left, slamming the door on the way out.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_2:00 AM_

Knock knock knock.

Naruto groaned, attempting to cover his ears with his pillow.

Knock knock knock knock.

Oh come on, it was like two in the morning! Who the hell was at the door?

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

"AGH!" Naruto threw himself out of bed and practically fell down the creaky steps as he sleepily made his way downstairs. He scratched his hip and unlocked the door, growling grumpily. "Bloody hell, I don't – oh."

Standing on the doorstep were two anxious looking police officers. That's when it hit him. Itachi. Shit!

"Are you guys looking for –" Naruto started.

"Inspector!" One exclaimed, interrupting him. Naruto swirled around to see Itachi, fully dressed, standing alert behind him.

"What is it?" he demanded, his voice contradicting his actions as he gently moved Naruto aside.

Creaking steps signaled Sasuke's entrance. He flew to the door, eyes wide. "Another murder?"

The second inspector shook his head wildly. "No, sir! Not one murder – two!"

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1 This line I actually stole from the book _The Last Sherlock Holmes Story _by Michael Dibdin. I just tweaked it a little, but I don't own it.

2 I borrowed this idea roughly from The Silence of the Lambs movie. Just the whole shoving something down the victim's throat to choke them idea.


	9. Ch 8 The Double Event and a Message

A/N: Gah I can't believe myself!!! When I was almost finished writing this chapter I realized that September 30th was coming up and I was like OMG if I can get this chapter out on that date then it'll be so cool because that's the date of the two murders in this chapter!! But alas, I had a ton of homework on September 30th and I had Japanese Club and my mom was going to go into surgery the next day. So I was only able to finish writing the chapter on that day but I wasn't even close to starting to type it. So now, a gazillion days later, I posted it. But oh well. At least I tried. Anyways, this chapter is mainly investigation stuff, and there'll be more investigation stuff next chapter, but there'll also be more of the storyline that's not investigation.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do hate disclaimers.

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Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 8: The Double Event and the Message on the Wall

_2:30 AM_

The two brothers allowed the constables to lead them to the earliest scene of murder first. The four of them entered Dutfield's Yard and Itachi went immediately to the officer who was keeping watch near the body. Sasuke listened to Itachi's questions and recorded the answers in his notebook but he refused to step any closer. He knew he was being a coward and probably paranoid too but he wanted to delay seeing the body, or rather the identity of the body, for as long as he could. Thank goodness it was dark…

"What time did you discover the body lying there?" Itachi asked the officer who was stationed by the scene.

"Ehh, a little after 1:00, maybe 1:10," the officer estimated. "I was just doing my rounds when some chap with a pony and cart came rushing up to me, telling me he came across a body. So I followed him here and he tells me that he thinks the killer was still in the yard when he got there!"

Itachi stood a little straighter. "Where can I find this man?"

"Well I told him to stay until the inspectors got here, but he excused himself to take a pi – to use the loo ten minutes before you arrived and he hasn't returned yet."

Itachi frowned. "Where is his pony and cart?"

"He took them with him, sir."

Sasuke looked up, shooting Itachi a quizzical look. Why would the man need to take his pony and cart to relieve himself? He locked eyes with Itachi and realized they seemed to be thinking the same thing. Itachi nodded at the notebook and Sasuke scribbled some rough notes.

"Do you want me to try and find him, sir?"

"Thank you, but that's not necessary. I'll contact him later. Did he give his name?"

The officer beamed proudly. "Not willingly, but I got him to cave. He said his name was Asuma, and that he's the steward of an adjoining club."

"Did he say which club?"

The constable deflated a little at this question and scratched his head. "Well, not that I recall…"

"That's fine. We can work with the information you've given us." Itachi clapped his hand on the man's shoulder. "Thank you for your help. You're dismissed."

The officer seemed to be both relieved and disappointed at his being allowed to leave but left without another word. The other two constables remained and stayed out of Itachi's way except to hover close enough to the body to provide light in the insane darkness that the early morning held.

Sasuke didn't even realize that he'd been staring intently at the cover of his notebook until Itachi called his name. He reluctantly looked up and gave his brother his attention.

"Sasuke," he said softly. "It's not her."

The sigh of relief that escaped his lips was unintentional and he bit his lip when his eyes scanned the face of the woman who was lying there. He knelt down by the body of Kurenai Stride and stared into her glassy eyes. They stared up into the black night and Sasuke suddenly felt sorry for her for an entirely different reason. He lifted his hand and gently closed her eyes.

"Sasuke?" Itachi questioned, curious as to his brother's intentions.

"I don't want her to be bored in the afterlife," Sasuke answered as he retracted his hand. "If her eyes are left open, staring into nothing but the empty sky, then her spirit will never be able to dream in peace. But if her eyes are closed then she can imagine all sorts of wonderful things and make it her reality. I want her to be able to do that. It's the least I can do."

Itachi smiled sadly and laid a hand on his brother's shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. "Some would say you're naïve for saying such things, you know. But I don't think that's right. You're wise beyond your years, little brother. I'm glad to have you on this investigation with me, even though it's hard for you."

Sasuke gently removed the hand as he stood up. He turned, the corners of his lips curved slightly upwards. "And I'm glad to be on this case with the greatest detective in the world." He let his smile fall and opened his notebook, clutching his pen in his fist. "Now let's not allow Jack the Ripper to tarnish that reputation."

Itachi answered with a nod of his head before he crouched down next to the body. "Prepare to record this." He motioned to one of the constables to shine the lantern closer. "There's one clear-cut incision on the neck. Extreme blood loss so I'm assuming a main artery was severed. Kabuto will confirm this later." Itachi moved down the body and paused at the abdomen area. He suddenly frowned and took the lantern from the waiting constable. Sasuke watched in confusion as he shined the light on the abdomen and continued down to mid-thigh, feeling the body as he went.

"Itachi?" Sasuke asked when his curiosity could no longer be contained. "What's wrong? Did you find something?"

Itachi looked at him and for the first time in his life Sasuke saw pure confusion in those black eyes.

"No, quite the opposite. I found _nothing._ Rather I found something that I was expecting to be missing." Itachi turned back to the corpse and indicated toward the filthy dress. "What's different about this victim's dress that doesn't match up with all the other victim's attire? I'll give you a hint – I'm not talking about color or design."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "This dress isn't ripped."

"Correct. With the other two victims, the killer ripped their dresses from the bottom so that it wouldn't get in the way when he disemboweled them. However, this victim's dress is intact. Why?"

After a moment Sasuke's eyes widened. "He didn't do anything to the abdomen?" he asked, mouth hanging open in shock.

Itachi shook his head. "Not a single thing. There's no injury other than the cut to the throat." He returned to staring at Kurenai's body, resting his mouth on his hand, brooding.

Sasuke gave his brother some time to finish pondering before he asked his question. When Itachi's eyes finally started rotating to observe the surrounding area Sasuke knew he wouldn't be interrupting any important thought processes. "So what does this mean, Itachi?"

Itachi's eyes darted to his face and he dropped his arms to the side, signaling that he was about to speak. "I've concluded that there are three possible options, but I'll need to investigate the second murder before I can decide for sure."

Sasuke waited for Itachi to explain these three options but when his brother said nothing more he assumed that he would find out later. He closed his notebook with a soft 'whoosh' of London air, and he was suddenly overcome with the fact that he was breathing the very same air that Jack the Ripper inhaled hours earlier. A chill danced up his spine. This unsettled Sasuke greatly. It made the murderer seem more human. Too human. Sasuke refused to see the killer this way, as anything more than a monster.

"Could you take us to the scene of the second murder, please?" Sasuke heard Itachi ask one of the constables.

"Right away, sir," the constable replied.

"Thank you." Itachi turned to the other officer. "Could you remain here please?"

" 'Course, sir." He exchanged a few words with the other constable, reminding him of shortcuts to take, before he waved the three of them off, the lantern clutched in his other hand jostling from the motion.

The location they arrived at was Mitre Square and they were led to the south corner by the wavering light of a lantern. They approached it and greeted the constable to whom the lantern belonged to. He looked extremely relieved to see them. Sasuke couldn't blame him. The poor man must've been standing there for at least forty minutes, keeping watch over a mutilated corpse alone in the dark with nothing but a fading lantern for comfort.

"When did you discover the body?" Itachi asked the relieved constable.

"About 1:45 AM, while I was doing my rounds," he replied.

Itachi glanced over his shoulder to mumble to Sasuke, telling him to write down this time and an estimate of how long it took them to arrive at Mitre Square. Then he turned back to the constable. "And you didn't see her before on any of your rounds?"

"No, definitely not. It was very dark but there's no way something like…this…would've escaped my notice."

"I see. Thank you." Itachi turned his attention to Sasuke. "Ready to begin?"

Sasuke nodded and flipped open his notebook. His anxiety returned but it wasn't as strong as before. Sakura was smart. She would've heeded his warning and remained indoors like he asked…he just didn't know for how long.

He sighed and shook his head to clear his thoughts. It was now or never. He stared intently at the dark outline of the body on the ground and watched as it was slowly illuminated by the light from the constable's lantern. The first thing he saw was blonde hair.

"Temari," he breathed.

Itachi's head turned sharply to look at him. "You know this woman, Sasuke?"

The younger Abberline nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat. "She's friends with Sakura. I've seen her a few times."

"…Ah." Itachi gave his brother a long look. "Sasuke -"

"Let's start."

Itachi was taken aback by Sasuke's tone but knew he had to continue. "Alright. Write down everything I say." He kneeled down beside Temari's body and began his rough examination. "Her throat is severed by two cuts and her abdomen is ripped open by a long, jagged wound. And…" Itachi leaned towards the mess of the abdomen and moved parts of dress out of the way. "…I think at least one of her organs is missing, but it's most likely more. However, we won't know for sure until Kabuto sees her." Itachi made to stand up but suddenly stopped. He reached over towards Temari's outstretched hand and grabbed a bloodied note that was resting on it.

"Is that a letter?" Sasuke asked curiously, leaning in to see it.

Itachi didn't answer but carefully opened the note and flattened it. "It says this:

Here lies one of two little whores

who could've helped but chose to ignore

and now her corpse lies on the floor

_Ha ha_."

Two pairs of black eyes simultaneously narrowed in disgust. "Jack the Ripper left this," Itachi stated, his voice hard. "The handwriting looks to be the same as the letter we received and his morbid sense of humor is definitely the same."

"What a bastard," Sasuke spat. "Trying to turn a gruesome murder into a poem."

"Yes, it's most definitely revolting," Itachi agreed. "But notice what he wrote in the second line; 'who could've helped but chose to ignore'. What does he mean by that? He makes it seem as though he personally knew Temari."

Sasuke tilted his head to the side and chewed his lip. "You're right. When we get back to headquarters we should try to locate any men in Temari's life that she may have angered or had a squabble with."

Itachi grunted in agreement but didn't say anything. His eyes were glued on the corpse and his eyebrows were knit together, screwed up in concentration. "It doesn't make sense…" he mumbled, seemingly to himself.

"The note?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, but I was actually referring to this murder in general."

Sasuke, for once completely understanding what was going on, pondered alongside his brother. "Yeah, you're right, it doesn't make sense. This seems to be a typical Ripper murder, yet completely different from Kurenai's case. I don't understand."

"No," Itachi corrected, his head shooting up. "I mean, yes, it's a typical Ripper scenario, but it's also much more violent and gruesome than the previous three, especially Kurenai as you pointed out. And why is this?"

Sasuke tilted his head to the side. "Well, the murders seem to escalate in viciousness as more occur."

"That's true, but I'm referring to these two murders in particular," Itachi reminded gently.

"Oh." Sasuke ran through the facts and the images in his mind, trying to fit two and two together, as Itachi waited patiently. Finally he found the right train of thought and grasped it. "Was he trying to make up for what he deemed as a poor performance when he killed Kurenai?"

The corner of Itachi's mouth twitched. "Good job, little brother. You're finally starting to understand the criminal mind." Sasuke smirked at the praising jab but allowed his brother to continue. "But you know the three options I mentioned earlier involving Kurenai's murder? We'll now use the process of elimination to figure out which one is right." Sasuke practically beamed when Itachi said 'we'll use'. Finally, he wasn't just sitting on the sidelines! Itachi seemed to notice his sudden uplift in mood and tried to bite down a smile. "Focus, little brother. So, the first option I considered was that Jack the Ripper merely changed his modus operandi to simply slitting throats rather than disemboweling. While this is possible I deem it as highly unlikely. We've already determined that the murders are becoming more and more violent, so there's no reason for him to step down a level. Also, Temari's murder shows the usual Ripper style, so this option is too confusing and unreliable to put much faith in. We'll cross it out.

"Now, my second idea was that this is not the work of the Ripper at all, but of another individual. It's not a rare happening to find murdered prostitutes in Whitechapel, you know."

"Wait, are you talking about both murders or just Kurenai?" Sasuke asked.

"Just Kurenai Stride. Temari Eddowes is most definitely a Ripper victim," Itachi answered. "But, continuing on, I don't place much value in this theory. The letter that was left with Temari's body suggests that the Ripper killed both of the women, or at least knew about both of the murders. However, we won't discard it until we've gathered more information. We have too many witnesses to interview."

"Ok," Sasuke mumbled, jotting down the word 'possible' next to Itachi's second theory in his notebook. "And your third idea?"

"My third idea can't be proven until we interview that steward, Asuma," Itachi said. "But I have a lot of faith in this theory. According to the constable, Asuma claims that when he turned into Dutfield's Yard he discovered Kurenai dead, and he also said that he thought the killer was still in the yard. Without further details the only thing I can draw from this is that Asuma interrupted Jack the Ripper before he could finish his gruesome work."

Sasuke's pen flew over the paper. When it finally stopped he kept it remaining over the page. "So this Asuma is an important man to contact." At Itachi's nod Sasuke circled the name multiple times.

"Inspector!" The brothers turned to see a new constable approaching the scene. "I've been ordered to bring you with me."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "By whom? What's happened now?"

"Constable Alfred Long sent me. He found something that you should see, some writing."

Itachi's dark eyebrows furrowed further. "Writing?"

"There will be an explanation when we arrive, sir. Follow me, please."

The two brothers exchanged looks but did as they were told. The constable who had been with them the entire time knew the protocol and remained at the scene. When the constable led Itachi and Sasuke to Goulsten Street, both men were startled at the number of policemen in the area.

"Why are there so many officers here?" Itachi enquired.

"Well, we were all searching the area near the crime scenes to try and find the killer, and we all passed by here after constable Long discovered the writing and the apron. He called us over as he saw us, so we all ended up here," the constable replied as he led the way. "Ah, here we are sirs."

The three men turned into tenement No. 108 on the street and the constable held his lantern high so they could see the scene. A large, chilling inscription was scribbled on the dark wall in white chalk. Although scribbled wasn't exactly the right word. This was a practiced hand writing very carefully. A message that wanted to be heard.

It read:

_The Juwes are the men who will not be blamed for nothing._

"…" Itachi stared at the writing soundlessly which Sasuke took to be a bad sign. Still, he knew without words that jotting the message down would probably be smart. However, when he finished getting it down he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He squinted at the darkness of the stairwell underneath the writing, trying to make out the outline of the strange object.

"Constable, can you shine your light over there?" Sasuke asked, pointing toward the stairs.

"Oh, yes! I forgot about that for a moment." He lowered his light, allowing it to flood the area, revealing the object to be a stained piece of some soft of garment. "This was found with the writing. We think it's a piece of bloodstained apron."

Itachi's attention was finally drawn from the wall. "Let me see it." He kneeled down and wrapped his hand in a handkerchief he drew from his pocket. When his skin was covered he prodded the piece of apron and turned it this way and that. Then, seeming to have seen what he was looking for, he wadded up the handkerchief and stuffed it in his pocket. He stood up and turned to Sasuke. "This is most definitely clothing taken from either Kurenai Stride or Temari Eddowes after their murders. I think it's safe to assume that it's Temari's because of her being the most recent victim, but we'll double check to be sure."

"Yeah, that's hers," Sasuke confirmed. "I remember seeing her wear it when she was alive." After saying this he returned to finishing up his notes but repeatedly paused to glace at his brother. Itachi was pacing back and forth, rubbing his chin, mumbling to himself.

"This isn't connecting," Itachi grunted as he passed Sasuke again. Finally he abruptly stopped and turned to his brother with a determined stare. "When we return we need to list all the possible motivations of the killer based on what little evidence we have. But first we need to figure out what 'Juwes' refers to."

"That's all very good gentlemen, but I'm afraid you'll have to conduct this business elsewhere." A tall refined looking man with a chocolate brown toothbrush mustache approached followed by a short, stout constable. He shook the hand of each brother. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Charles Warren. I believe that Constable Long sent for you, correct?" he asked, gesturing toward the stout man at his side.

Itachi nodded. "Yes, so we came to see what was going on. Do you know when the apron and writing was found?"

Alfred Long took a step forward. "I discovered it while I was searching the area. I think the time was about 3:00." While Sasuke wrote this down another man appeared beside Constable Long. "Oh, sir, the man with the sponge is here."

"Good. He can start erasing it then," Commissioner Warren replied.

"Wait, what?" Sasuke stared after the man hauling the bucket of water over to the graffito. "You're erasing evidence?"

"No," the commissioner objected. "We're protecting the residents of this building."

Sasuke opened his mouth to question but Itachi already had an answer. "Mostly Jews live here, Sasuke," he said, eyes never leaving the sopping sponge in the man's hand. "The people in Whitechapel are too frightened and desperate now to stop and think. This message seems to be blaming someone, so the people will blame that person, too. It's safer this way, Sasuke. Trust me."

And somehow Sasuke did, even as the chalky white lines of history were being washed away, letter by letter.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

In the dead of night two men walked silently through the streets of Whitechapel, one man leading the other. The leading man glanced from side to side, skimming the tenement numbers until he found the one he was looking for. "Ah, here we are."

"Goulsten Street? Why are we here?" the following man, the brawnier of the two, asked nervously.

"To throw the hounds off your track," the leading man, the slim one, replied, beckoning for the other man to come closer. "That inspector gets closer and closer to figuring you out as the days pass. We need to confuse him. And seeing as you lack the intelligence to even realize how near he is, I decided to take matter into my own hands."

The nervous man tightened his grip on his bloodied piece of cloth and clutched it to his body possessively. It seemed to give him strength enough to tentatively step under the archway where the other man stood. When he was within arm's reach the slim man held a piece of white chalk out to him. The nervous man's eyes screwed up in confusion as he stared at it. "What is this?"

"The means to prevent your discovery by Inspector Abberline," the slim man said simply.

At those words the other man froze and his face contorted in an ugly way. "No," he hissed, baring his teeth. "He can't stop my work! I won't let him!"

A smirk spread on the slim man's face. "He won't, but only if you take the chalk and do as I say."

The brawny man's eyes, still retaining rage, narrowed. He reluctantly let go of his bloody trophy and slipped it into his pant pocket, using his now free hand to grasp the chalk. Walking over to the wall by the stairwell, he positioned the chalk over the smooth, cold surface. Smooth and cold…like Kurenai's unripped skin…

"Calm yourself!" the slim man barked sharply, recognizing the bloodthirsty aura slowly emanating from his companion. "You've done enough tonight. Don't allow yourself to lose control."

The man clenched his fists and bit his lip. If it were anyone else ordering him to stop his work he would've growled at them and lashed out. He forced himself to take deep, calming breaths and after two minutes of this raised the chalk back up to the wall. "What do you want me to do?" he asked in a steady voice.

His companion noted the sudden behavior change with interest but still remained wary. He spoke slowly. "Write what I say: The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing. Spells Juwes as J-U-W-E-S." He watched as the other man wrote out the message slowly. "This may not be the type of message you'd want to leave in your name, but trust me, if you look close enough you'll certainly be pleased."

The man with the chalk did as he was told but after the sentence was completed he turned to his partner with questioning eyes. "What does it mean?"

The smirk was evident in the slim man's voice. "What type of people make up the majority of the population of this building?"

"Jews," the other man replied. "But what about the spelling?"

"The inspector will be asking the same question." The grin spread wider. "But only if we leave soon. What do you say?"

When the two men left Goulsten Street, one of their pockets proved to be unreliable. When said man locked his door behind him, he discovered he no longer had a trophy to smuggle away. This man fell to his knees and screamed at the ceiling in fury. The other of the two men, when he found out later that day about a mysterious message written by Jack the Ripper, accompanied by a bloodstained apron, merely smirked. The Inspector was truly baffled now. Good. That fool finally did something useful.

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A/N: Just as an FYI, I actually came up with the note that Jack the Ripper left myself. I was quite proud of myself lol. Also, there are a few characters in here who aren't people from Naruto, but they're not important enough to change their names so I just left them as who they really are. Another reminder is that Itachi and Sasuke knew all of the victims so far besides Temari from when they used to live in Whitechapel before their parents' deaths (Temari came after they moved).


	10. Ch 9 A Beautiful Day in Dreary London

A/N: Hmm…It's been a while since I updated. It took me awhile to write this one. Well, I've come up with a pattern! I've decided that I'm going to try to update once a month regularly. That way I won't feel rushed to publish a new chapter and I also will feel more motivated to get on task. –poses proudly- I think this system will work! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Any praises or constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Also, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years to everyone! :D

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Naruto.

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Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 9: A Beautiful Day in Dreary London

_7:00 AM_

"Why aren't we doing this at the headquarters?" Sasuke asked, watching as his brother set a large bulletin board against the wall of his temporary bedroom.

"Because," Itachi replied impatiently, "the headquarters is crowded and noisy. We need to concentrate." He turned to Sasuke and thrust his hand out. "Give me your notebook and pen."

Sasuke, knowing better than to ask why when his brother was in this distraught state, acquiesced silently. Itachi flipped through the pages carelessly and Sasuke flinched at each tiny accidental ripping sound. When Itachi reached a blank page he smoothed it out and started scribbling. "What are we doing now?" Sasuke asked.

"Motives," was Itachi's one-word reply. "The first possible motive of the Ripper is revenge.1 When one has resentment in their hearts, they can perform irreparable acts." After writing this Itachi ripped the page out and tacked it to the board. "Now we need more."

"Madness? Insanity?" Sasuke suggested, playing along.

"Yes, the horrible mutilations performed on the victims does suggest that the Ripper might not be in his right mind," Itachi mumbled, tacking up another paper. "There is also the notion of theft. Perhaps the killer wanted to rob his dead victims."

As Itachi hung up another page Sasuke racked his brain for ideas. Somehow his train of thought eventually drifted toward Sakura, and it led him to another motive. "What about love?" Sasuke proposed. "And jealousy?"

Itachi muttered something that Sasuke couldn't hear but he assumed it was just an accepting of his hypothesis because Itachi then pinned up the paper. "Good. Any other ones?"

"Hmm." Sasuke tiled his head to the side thoughtfully. He blurted out the first thing he thought of. "Black magic?"

He fully expected Itachi to snort mockingly at the proposed notion, so he was quite surprised when Itachi instead nodded and started writing. "I'm not very learned in the fields of magic, but it's possible that the Ripper is savagely killing and stealing organs for some sort of dark ritual. Alright, we have all the likely motives I can think of. We'll now use the process of elimination to pinpoint the correct one. But we have to be sure that we're right, because if we're wrong, then an important life will be lost."

Now Sasuke saw why Itachi was so distraught and irritable. He knew something. "Itachi, what's wrong?" he demanded.

Itachi looked sharply at him. "I've noticed a distinct pattern in the Ripper killings. You should realize it too….but no, you won't."

"What-"

"Sasuke, we must hurry!" Itachi silenced him. "We'll start with theft first. There was nothing noted that indicates that anything was stolen from the women, other than organs. However, I find it highly unlikely that the Ripper stole organs to pawn them off in the organ trafficking market. It would not explain the letters and messages he left. So this motive will be eliminated." Itachi ripped off the paper and quickly crumpled it, tossing it over his shoulder carelessly.

"What about insanity?" Sasuke asked, eyeing the discarded paper nervously. Itachi was never this messy.

"The Ripper is definitely insane," Itachi said. "He most likely suffers from psychosis2, if not more than one disorder. However, I take back my earlier comment. He is definitely in his right mind. This man seems to know the different between right and wrong. No, I think the motive is deeper than this. So while the reason of insanity is credible, it's not credible enough." Another paper was swiftly chucked.

Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat. "How about black magic?"

"As I said, I have no expertise in this subject, but I don't think it's the killer's motive. All of the evidence seems to hint that the situation is personal. It's true that the killer could be slaying his personal relations and then using them for dark rituals, but then that wouldn't match up with the graffito and his letters. We'll dismiss this motive."

The bulletin board now only held two slips of paper. "Love and jealousy?" Sasuke offered.

"Love is a very deep, powerful, manipulative emotion," Itachi started. "And it nearly always gives birth to jealously. When you combine the two together, almost anything can result, even murder. It's very possible that the Ripper had an affair with one or more of the victims, and noting the victims' occupations, this opened the gateway for jealousy and possessiveness. However, it's not likely that the Ripper was this close to all four women. Maybe one situation led to a general hatred of prostitutes?" Itachi mumbled something to himself. "However, the graffito completely throws off this motive. So while credible, we can't take chances."

Finally only one paper remained on the board. Itachi and Sasuke both rested their eyes on it. "Revenge," Sasuke said quietly. "So this is the killer's motive?"

"…Yes," Itachi announced. "Jack the Ripper is vengeful against these women. However, we need to determine if he's taking revenge against each woman individually or against prostitutes in general." He began to pace back and forth. "And there's also the matter of that graffito…what is 'Juwes'?"

Sasuke decided it was better to leave Itachi to himself when he was in this state. Besides, he wasn't like his brother when it came to spending hours processing multiple loads of information at once. Itachi preferred it over oxygen. However, Sasuke was suffocating. He quietly excused himself, but he knew Itachi wouldn't notice his presence or lack thereof right now.

Anyways, it'd been to long since he'd seen Sakura's face. Her beautiful face…contorted in sorrow. His heart twisted painfully. Had she already found out about Kurenai and Temari? It didn't matter. She would find out eventually if she didn't already know, and Sasuke needed to be there for her. _God, I've been so selfish!_ He scolded himself as he unconsciously tugged his jacket tighter around his body. _Sakura has lost four of her closest friends and I've done nothing to comfort her._

With newfound urgency Sasuke powered through the filthy streets, not paying much attention to the landscape, following the map to Sakura's small room in his head. However, he was stopped short by a wondrous scent hitting him like a wall. He looked to his right and noticed that he was a few feet from the Smith Bakery. One of the windows was flung open despite the chilly weather and a tray of seasoned breads and mini pies was resting on the sill, laid out to cool no doubt. Intoxicated by both scent and curiosity, Sasuke tried the door and finding it unlocked, entered. No one was behind the counter but he heard faint whistling coming from the kitchen. He poked his head through the open doorway and saw Naruto rolling dough leisurely, pausing only to add more flour and spices.

_No wonder he wasn't home when we got back,_ Sasuke thought. _He was here._ "Hey, dobe!"

Naruto whipped around, cheeks tinged red with embarrassment. "Teme! You scared me!"

Sasuke smirked. "Maybe you shouldn't allow yourself to be frightened so easily then." Naruto just scowled and grumbled before turning back to the dough. "So how long have you been here and why are here so early in the first place? I didn't think the bakery opened yet. Iruka's not even here yet."

"I've only been here since 6:30," Naruto said. "I tried to go back to sleep after you and Itachi left but I couldn't. I was too worried. So I decided to open the bakery early. Baking helps me get my mind off things."

Sasuke's heart twisted again. He stepped over and grabbed some dough, helping Naruto knead it. "This case is affecting so many people I never expected it to. I guess that just proves my lack of experience though."

Naruto didn't say anything and for awhile the two kneaded and shaped the dough in silence. Then, after loading the dough onto a tray and into the oven, Naruto turned to Sasuke. "So tell me about what happened. There are already people gossiping and boys on the corners shouting out about this "double event", but I want to hear it from you."

Sasuke took a deep breath and pulled out a stool to sit on, and Naruto did the same. "Wow, where do I start? Well, both Kurenai and Temari are dead."

Naruto's breath hitched. "Kurenai? But…"

Sasuke nodded sympathetically. Naruto had always been fond of Kurenai. However, he knew that the best thing to do was to just keep talking. Naruto preferred to handle loss and depression in his own way. "That's not all. We think that Jack the Ripper may have been interrupted while he was working on Kurenai, by a steward named Asuma."

"Asuma? Why does that name sound so familiar?" Naruto rubbed his forehead and glared at the floor, as if he thought he would find the answer ingrained into the worn wood. Suddenly he snapped his fingers. "That guy comes by the shop every Monday and Friday to buy a loaf of cinnamon bread, without fail!"

Sasuke's mood lifted at this bit of information. "Well that's helpful. Wait 'till I tell Itachi! He'll be thrilled."

Naruto grinned. "It's what I do, no applause is required. So did you guys find out anything else?"

"Yeah, I almost forgot. We found a note with Temari's body that said 'Here lies one of two little whores, who could've helped but chose to ignore, and now her corpse lies on the floor haha'. I know, it's disgusting," Sasuke agreed at seeing Naruto's open repulsion. "But there's more, believe it or not. We found some graffito that said 'The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing'. Next to it was a piece of Temari's bloodstained apron."

Naruto's expression revealed evident confusion. "I don't get it. How do Jews play a part in this?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't know. In the graffito the word was spelled J-U-W-E-S, which is what has Itachi stumped."

Naruto wore a look of pure disbelief. "Woah, Itachi's stumped? That never happens."

"I know. That's the scary part."

"Hmm. Well maybe he's focusing on the wrong thing. Maybe the spelling of the word isn't the important thing going on." Naruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Oh, I know!" He bounced in his seat excitedly. "Maybe there's a message hidden within the message. Maybe you're supposed to scramble the letters!"

"Naruto," Sasuke breathed, eyes widening, "that's genius." Now that Sasuke thought about it, the message didn't sound like the Ripper at all. The whole idea of it really just seemed to stray from the path, to distract from the purpose…to distract!

"Really?" Naruto asked, pleasantly surprised. "Because – "

"The purpose of the Ripper's message is just to throw us off!" Sasuke shamelessly interrupted. "Like you said, the real meaning is hidden inside the message itself."

"Now all we have to do is decipher it!" Naruto exclaimed, nearly throwing himself off the stool with the force of his own energy.

There was a short period of silence in which the colossal weight of this proposal hung heavily in the air. "…shit," they said simultaneously.

"This could take all day, if not weeks," Sasuke said.

"Well good thing I have all day," Naruto replied, rolling up his sleeves higher than they already were.

"Yeah, but I don't," Sasuke remembered, checking the time. "I was on my way to Sakura's before I stopped by."

"Oh." There was disappointment and envy in Naruto's voice and Sasuke's conscious suddenly felt two pounds heavier. But the blonde's smile was still happy and large as he bundled up two loaves of warm poppy seed bread and pressed them into Sasuke's arms. "Since I can't be there with my presence, I'll just send my kickass cooking instead." They both laughed and Naruto walked his friend to the door. As he waved to Sasuke's back, he shouted, "Take good care of our cherry blossom, teme!"

Sasuke lifted his hand in a motionless wave to show that he heard.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Sasuke knocked on Sakura's shabby door, clutching the bread in his right arm close to his body to preserve the warmth. In his left he held a bouquet of ten roses (a darker color than her hair but definitely not as beautiful), which he would present to her after she opened the door. However, two minutes passed without a reply. He patiently knocked again and heard her muffled and tired voice commanding him to go away.

"Sakura, it's me," he said loudly, assuming she didn't know that it was him at her door so early. He heard the rustle of sheets and then the clicking of a lock. When the door opened his smile fell right off his face.

"Hey Sasuke," she mumbled and stepped aside to let him in. His legs seemed to be controlling themselves as he moved inside. She went and sat back on the bed, staring at him, no, _through_ him with dead, unfocused eyes. Her normally peachy colored skin, which she tried so hard to take care of, was lined with a thin layer of oil and dirt. Her short locks were stained a light magenta color and at first Sasuke thought perhaps she had colored her hair, but he discovered it was just soaked in grease. And the barely noticeable lines that engraved her face were no longer barely noticeable. They looked as though they had been traced over multiple times until they stood out obviously, like a writer sketches over his words until they're bold and perfect. She was only twenty five, but she looked thirty eight. Just like everyone else in her profession.

Anger and helplessness flooded his mind, bringing no small amount of stress with it. He opened his mouth, bit his lip, opened it again, but could only let out a low growl. "Sakura," he finally said, "What has he done to you?"

She observed him patiently, as an adult would if a child asked a silly question. "Little compared to what the world has done to me," she replied. "Why blame one rotten apple when it's a rotten tree it came from? I'm not saying I forgive him," she added when she saw Sasuke's horrified face. "But I would be a hypocrite if I accused him for being hardened by the world. After all, I'm very much like him, in a way."

A loud thud reverberated throughout the tiny room after Sasuke slammed his fist down on her tiny bedside table, allowing the roses in his hand to fall to the floor and scatter. "Never," he growled, "say that!"

Sakura appeared unaffected by his violent action. "But it's true," she continued unflinchingly. "Jack the Ripper didn't shed a tear when he murdered my closest friends, and I couldn't either when I heard of their deaths. I'm just so used to it by now. People are dying left and right every day – my friends and I aren't immune to death. There's no chance I'll get out of this hell hole before I die, whether by the Ripper's or someone else's hand, or famine or disease. It's impossible. But it doesn't matter. I'm so ready to die."

"No," Sasuke snarled, "you aren't. You've never been ready to die. You've always cherished life over everything else, and you still do." He watched her expressionless face with growing determination. Finally he plucked a red rose from the pile on the floor and slipped it behind her ear gently, letting his thumb trail down her dirty yet soft cheek. "Sakura, if you come with me I promise to put some life in you again," he whispered, dropping his hand from her cheek and offering it to her.

She glanced at his hand and back at his face tiredly, and he expected her to tell him of how hopeless that would be. But instead she placed her strong hand in his and hauled herself to her feet, facing him and saying, "I accept your challenge".

Sasuke grinned. She wasn't any more alive, she wasn't any more Sakura. But he knew he could fix that. He allowed her to loop her arm through his and led her out of the room and onto the streets, which were already bustling with the usual activity. They crossed the street and turned the corner only to come face to face with a dirty-faced newspaper boy. He blinked and thrust a newspaper in their faces.

"You want one, guv'nor? It's a double event!" he exclaimed persuasively.

Sasuke felt Sakura's grip tighten on his arm. He scowled and hurried past the newspaper boy. However, every street they stepped on introduced them to redundant shouts of 'two ghastly murders' and 'the double event'. There was no way to escape it. Wait. Yes there was.

"Coach!" Sasuke called, waving his free arm. Sakura stumbled back a few steps in surprise when the black coach and horses swerved to a clumsy stop in front of them. Sasuke opened the door and offered Sakura his hand, helping her into the coach. Then he turned to the driver and plopped a pretty penny in his hand. "Take us to the best dress shop in London, please," Sasuke said quietly, glancing back to make sure that Sakura wasn't paying attention.

"Aye, sir!"

Sasuke climbed in and shut the door. The coach began to rumble away, bouncing them up and down in their seats gently. He glanced over at Sakura, who was looking around the coach and out the window with wide eyes.

"Are you ok?" he asked, concerned.

She glanced at him before looking out the window again. "I haven't been in one of these in years. I could never afford it." She paused. "I've never seen the world go by this fast. It's wonderful."

Sasuke smiled at the thought that he would soon have Sakura smiling too. Their journey took them out of Whitechapel and into the nicer areas of London. Sakura stared out the window as if in a trance and it occurred to Sasuke that this might be the first time that Sakura had been outside of the East End since she was a young child. The fact that it was himself who was giving her these new opportunities filled him with a warm, fluttering sensation in his stomach.

The coach rolled to a stop outside a fancy dress shop which was part of a chain of respectable businesses. Sasuke blocked the window before Sakura could look out of it. She gave him a questioning look.

"It's a surprise," Sasuke responded. "Promise me you'll keep your eyes closed?"

She observed him suspiciously before sighing and closing her eyes. "I promise."

Sasuke took her hand and opened the door. He stepped out first and then carefully helped her down the steps, snorting when she missed one and slipped. This earned him a hard slap on the arm. When they were successfully inside the doors, he told her she could open her eyes.

She gasped. The large shop was filled with numerous glamorous dresses of all shapes and styles, some elegant and others more casual. "They're all so beautiful," she breathed. Glancing down at her old, dirty, ripped dress, she laughed. "I probably look so shabby next to all these pretty dresses.

"No, not you," Sasuke said and then added, "just your dress."

Sakura rolled her eyes and laughed. "Thanks a lot."

His heart fluttered joyfully at her peals of laugher. "Which is why I'm getting you a new one."

Sakura shook her head. "No Sasuke, it's fine. Thank you, but these dresses must cost a fortune."

Sasuke walked over to one of the racks and examined the price tag of one of them. "No, they're actually quite affordable." He plucked a long, sequined black dress from the rack and tossed it to her.

She caught it reluctantly. "Sasuke…"

"No objections. I'll buy it even if you don't want it, and if you don't take it I'll give it to Naruto. I imagine it'll look just as attractive on him."

Sakura giggled and gave in. "Alright, alright. I'll try on the dress."

"Not _the_ dress," Sasuke corrected. "Dresses. Look around a bit."

Sakura rolled her eyes again but obeyed with a small smile. Over the next half hour they made their way around the store, making light but humorous chitchat as the piles of dresses in their arms grew larger. When they decided that the loads were too heavy to carry, they hauled themselves back to the dressing rooms and piled the dresses on the floor.

"Alright, go in with a few and come out and show me after you try each one," Sasuke said, handing her three of the dresses from the top of the pile. She disappeared behind the faded green curtain. There was the shuffling of clothes being removed and the occasional swear word uttered when Sasuke assumed she was having difficulties. She came out after a few minutes wearing a floor length dark magenta dress with the sleeves poofy at the shoulders and slim from the elbows to the hands. There were multiple layers of frills from the hips downward. Sakura's facial expression was priceless.

Sasuke did his best to hold in a snicker. "Well, the color compliments your hair," he offered.

Sakura glared at him. "Save it. I look like a bloody marshmallow."

That did it. Sasuke snorted and then burst out into chuckles. Sakura tried to maintain her glare but gave up and joined in his laughter.

Sakura re-entered the stall and continued to try on dresses and show them to Sasuke. They would either laugh at them together, or Sasuke would comment on how beautiful she looked and Sakura would blush and take another look at herself in the mirror. This pattern lasted for a good half hour until Sakura let out a squeal of delight while trying on one of the dresses.

Sasuke chuckled. "I take it you like this one?"

The curtain flew open and Sakura's red, smiling face was revealed to him. But his attention was far from her face. The emerald green dress she sported complimented her figure perfectly. The front was low-cut but stopped above her breasts modestly; much more humble than her other attire. The sleeves were fitted and ended just a little past her elbows, revealing her slim arms. A large black sash was wrapped around her waist just below her chest, showing off her skinny waist and not-too-large, not-too-small breasts. The dress was fitted to her hips and framed her curves beautifully. The rest of the dress flowed down her legs and stopped just below her ankles. Black frilly lace lined all of the ends.

And the most beautiful part? It matched her eyes perfectly. Her bright, lively eyes.

Sasuke stepped closer and ran his hands down her sides, letting them rest at her hips. "Sakura, this is gorgeous," he said, fingering the green cloth. "But you," he said, caressing her cheek gently, "are breath-taking."

She smiled and placed her hand on his head, fingering his hair soothingly. Her movements paused before she wrapped both arms around his neck and brought her face close to his. Her warm lips brushed his lightly. "Sasuke," she breathed, "kiss me."

It only took him a second to react. He pressed his lips against hers gently at first but then more passionately. He pulled her body against his and locked his arms around her form protectively. Her fingers were laced in his hair, trying to bring him as close as she could. Her grip on his shoulders tightened and she found it impossible to keep her eyes open.

Their lips eventually slip apart but it was the only part of them that did. Sakura rested her forehead against his and smiled. "Thank you, Sasuke, not just for the dress."

He cocked his head to the side questioningly. "For what else then?"

She pressed her lips firmly against his but pulled away soon after, leaving him burning for more. "For reminding me what a real kiss is like," she murmured before pulling away completely.

Sasuke took her hand and caressed the skin of her palm in soothing circles. "No problem," he said with a slight smile. A feminine grunt sounded from outside of the dressing rooms, ruining the mood but also reminding them that the shopkeeper was becoming impatient.

"Well, I guess we better buy this then," Sasuke said, rubbing his neck awkwardly.

Sakura giggled and followed him to the counter where the woman was tapping her long fingernails impatiently. Sasuke took out his wallet and fished for the correct amount. He handed it to the middle-aged woman who snatched it away and counted it, grumbling something Sasuke couldn't hear. Deeming it to be the correct amount, she glared a 'get-the-hell-out-of-my-shop' glare in their direction. Sakura and Sasuke obliged willingly.

Sakura skipped outside with Sasuke following close behind. She twirled and laughed as her dress spun around her in a cloud.

Chuckling, Sasuke offered his arm to her. "With such a beautiful dress, we have to take you somewhere to show it off, don't we?"

Sakura grinned and looped her arm through his. "What place did you have in mind?"

"There's a park not too far from here with a pond that ducks like to flock at, if I remember correctly."

Sakura tugged his arm gently. "Lead the way."

It occurred to Sasuke, as they frolicked around the park, that their time there meant much more to Sakura than it did to him. Sitting and conversing on clean unstained benches, playing childish games of hide and seek and tag amongst vibrant trees and grass, tossing bread crumbs to ducklings swimming on crystal clear water – they were all things that Sasuke took for granted and that Sakura hadn't been able to do or see in years. It was certainly a wake up call, and Sasuke knew that he wanted Sakura to be able to do it every single day.

"Sakura," he started, turning on his side in the grass to face her. She rolled over until she was partially lying on top of him, resting her chin on his chest.

"Yeah, Sasuke?" she asked dreamily.

He pulled them into a sitting position and held her close on his lap. "Sakura, you like it here, don't you?"

Sakura grinned widely. "I love it here."

"Would you like to live here?"

"If I could," she said, sighing, "I'd love to."

Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat. "…It's possible," he said hesitantly. "If I borrowed the money from Itachi, I could buy a small lodging here, and – "

An awkward cough cut Sasuke off. They both looked up to see Kankuro and Jiraiya standing a few feet away, eyeing them and shifting uncomfortably. Surprised, Sasuke and Sakura pulled apart and stood up.

"Sakura, Sasuke," Jiraiya acknowledged stiffly, looking from Sasuke to Sakura in a surprised way. "What brings you two so far from home?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to answer but was beat to it by Sakura. "Jiraiya!" she exclaimed happily, embracing the older man. "I haven't seen you in ages!"

Jiraiya seemed uncomfortable by their close proximity but eventually cracked a smile and wrapped his arms around her. "Yes, much too long indeed," he agreed. "You look so much older."

"Part of it might be the dress. Sasuke just got it for me today!"

Jiraiya cocked his head at Sasuke and stared at him in the unnerving, condemning way he usually did. "Did he now?"

Sasuke observed this exchange edgily before remembering that Kankuro was also there. He turned to give him a hard stare. "Lusk," he sneered.

The Chairman's peculiar face paint crinkled as he flashed his familiar disarming smile. "Please, Sasuke, call me Kankuro."

Sasuke pretended as though he hadn't heard him. "What do you want, Lusk?"

The smile dropped instantly and Kankuro sighed. Without the warm grin his face looked incredibly wrinkled and weary. "So sorry for interrupting you two lovebirds, by the way," he said.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry for interrupting you two sweethearts. What were you discussing? Exchanging sweet nothings?"

Kankuro rolled his eyes and frowned. "How very humorous. I was merely questioning Mr. Lemmens on his late ex-wife to see if I could gather up any additional information that could help us discover the identity of the killer."

Sasuke's curiosity was piqued. "So it seems that you've hit a dead end, eh?"

Kankuro's weak glare betrayed his exhaustion. "I do not have the energy to put up with your childish taunting, Sasuke. This is not a victory for you. Remember what I said before? We're both working toward the same goal. If I am stumped and so are you, then who is to catch Jack the Ripper?"

Sasuke's smirk fell and his sense of triumph weakened. The bastard was right. If both Itachi and Kankuro were at a loss, what would happen?

"Sasuke, who's this?" Sakura asked curiously, returning to his side.

"Yes, Sasuke, you never did introduce me to your lovely companion," Kankuro said, his warm grin returning.

Sasuke bit his lip in irritation but knew how much Sakura valued common courtesy. "Sakura, this is Kankuro Lusk, the Chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee," he mumbled, gesturing toward the tall man. "And Mr. Lusk," he ground out, "this is Sakura Kelly."

Kankuro bowed low and took Sakura's hand, placing his lips to it multiple times. Sasuke couldn't stop a low growl from escaping his lips at the sight. Kankuro ignored him and smiled charmingly at Sakura. "It's my honor to meet such a beautiful woman as you, Ms. Kelly."

Sakura blushed and returned the smile, curtseying elegantly. "The honor is all mine, Mr. Lusk," she replied.

When she stepped back Sasuke grabbed her hand protectively. "I'm afraid we have to be leaving now," he said, turning away from the two men.

Sakura quickly curtsied to Kankuro again and said "Nice to meet you" before allowing Sasuke to pull her away. "Oh wait!" She pulled her hand out of his and rushed over to Jiraiya, embracing him one last time. "I've missed you."

Jiraiya slowly returned the hug. "Take care of yourself," he said.

She smiled. "I will. I have Sasuke." She tried to pull away but felt his arms tighten around her. "O-ow," she mumbled, squinting up at the tall man. "Jiraiya, that hurts!"

He seemed to snap to his senses and he released her. "Sorry," he said, eyeing her in the same way he did Sasuke, yet differently at the same time. He looked at Sasuke in the way that made it seem as if he wished Sasuke were never born. The look he directed at Sakura meant something else, though Sasuke didn't know what. "I guess I don't know my own strength."

Sakura laughed and rubbed her sides. "Yeah I guess so."

They exchanged goodbyes and left, intending to return to Sakura's room. However, on the way out, Sasuke felt two pairs of eyes following them, but it felt like only one stare was directed at him.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

"Oh please Sasuke," Sakura said with a laugh. "Why would Jiraiya hate you? You're Naruto's best friend."

They sat across from each other on Sakura's small bed, sharing the poppy seed bread Naruto baked for them. The pleasant scent of vanilla flooded the room from the small scented candle sitting on the bedside table, which Sakura said she had been saving for a special occasion.

"I think that's _why_ he hates me," Sasuke insisted. "He doesn't think I'm a good friend for Naruto."

Sakura rolled her eyes and broke off another piece of poppy seed bread. She ate it and sighed in contentment. "Naruto bakes the best bread. He always has."

Sasuke decided to drop the Jiraiya subject for the moment, seeing as Sakura had no obvious interest to discuss it. He took another piece of the bread and chewed it slowly. "He's really passionate about his baking. I think he loves it more than anything else, except for Iruka and all of us of course."

Sakura nodded. "Definitely."

"But then why is he studying to be a lawyer if he loves baking and he's good at it?"

Sakura swallowed her bread and looked thoughtful. "I think that Naruto wants to be well-off and wants to make enough money so that he can support Iruka if he ever needs it. From Naruto's point of view, he's in debt to Iruka for taking care of him and putting a roof over his head. He wants to be able to take Iruka in when he grows older or reaches a financial crisis. At least that's what I think the reason has to be, because Naruto wouldn't want all that money for himself. He wouldn't know what to do with it except use it for firewood."

Sasuke laughed just because it was true. "That sounds right. But you know Iruka would be furious if he found out."

"And that's an understatement! He might pop a blood vessel or something."

The conversation ceased after that as they dug in to the last of the mouth-watering poppy seed bread. After they'd licked up the last crumbs, Sasuke folded the cloth the bread had come in and slipped it into his vest to return to Naruto. As he put it away, his fingers brushed against the cover of his notebook and he was overcome with the desire to get it out. He gave in and pulled it out, attracting Sakura's attention.

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"My notes on the investigation," he replied, showing her the title on the cover.

"May I see it?" she asked politely, holding her hand out.

Sasuke hesitated. No one outside the investigation was supposed to know about these…but Sakura was part of it. It was her friends who were murdered. "If you'd like. But are you sure you want to?"

Sakura smiled. "I know I want to. I just don't know if I can handle it. But I'll try my best." She gingerly accepted the notebook and opened it to the first page, skimming through the information and moving on, only stopping to read what was particularly interesting. Sasuke carefully watched her facial expressions the entire time. When she reached the pages containing the information about Temari and Kurenai, she bit her lip and closed her eyes.

"Sakura, don't read this part," Sasuke said gently, taking hold of the notebook. He tried to pull it out of her hands but she tightened her grip.

"No, I want to." She shook her head violently and took a few gasping breaths as Sasuke watched helplessly. When she finally opened her eyes they were pained, but she seemed to have a better grip on herself. Her finger traced down the pages shakily and her horrified yet curious eyes soaked up every detail. Sasuke watched her and wanted to reach out and hold her to help her through it, but he knew that Sakura didn't want that right now. Which is why it was a great relief when she turned the last page that contained information on her friends' deaths. "What's this?"

Sasuke didn't have to look to know what she was talking about. The graffito was the last thing he'd written down. "It's a copy of the message that Jack the Ripper wrote on the wall at Goulsten Street," he explained. "Naruto and I thought that there might be a message within the message if we scrambled it. It would take weeks to do it though, and it might not even be right."

Sakura read the message to herself intently. He could tell that she was happy for something to get her mind off her newly discovered information about her friends' deaths. "Hmm." She rested her cheek on her hand and stared at the page quizzically. "It talks about Jews and mostly Jews live in that area, but he spells it wrong."

"Yeah, I'm not sure about the spelling, but I do think that blaming Jews doesn't really sound like the Ripper. I think he might've set it up that way to distract us from his true intentions."

Sakura nodded slowly. "You're right. His grudge is against prostitutes, not Jews." She sat up straight and pulled the notebook into her lap. "Can I use this blank page? And do you have a pen I can borrow?"

"Sure, but why?" he asked, handing her his pen.

"I'm going to help you solve your riddle." She wrote out the graffito in a neat scrawl at the top of the page. Then she furrowed her eyebrows and stared at it, analyzing it in her mind. "Well, I just thought of an obvious word. Let's see if it works…" She moved the pen across the message, crossing out letters as she went. When she finished she wrote out the word 'whores' beneath the message.

"Oh, you're right, that was a given," he said, chuckling darkly. "Let me try this." He pulled the notebook toward him and scanned the message, picking out certain letters and mashing them together in his mind. He did this for at least five minutes until he formed a reasonable word. He crossed out six letters and wrote the word 'beware' in front of 'whores'.

"Oh, nicely done," Sakura commented, scooting closer to him to have equal access to the page. "It sounds like a warning he would give."

"Yeah, but we still have thirty four letters left," Sasuke reminded her. "There are a thousand different words we could spell." The difficulty of his task suddenly settled over him like a heavy wool blanket and he felt fatigued just thinking about it. "I change my mind. It will probably take more than weeks, months probably, to find the right answer. We don't have that kind of time."

"Hmm. You're right," Sakura agreed. "We don't. Which is why we need help. What if you ask Itachi to help us?"

Sasuke flinched. Itachi again. Even Sakura thought his brother was more able. He didn't blame her though. He did too. "No," Sasuke said firmly. "I can't rely on him for everything. I want to do this for myself."

"Sasuke…" Sakura said warningly. "This situation is too important to let brotherly competition halt its progress."

"It's not like that," Sasuke growled defensively. "Besides, even if I did ask for Itachi's help, he wouldn't give it. He's too wrapped up in his own puzzles to even give my idea a first glance."

Sakura was doubtful but knew that Sasuke was too stubborn right now to be persuaded. "Well then who else can help us?" she asked.

"Naruto," he answered. "We only need the three of us to figure this out. Just like it used to be."

Sakura smiled weakly. She didn't bother to point out her and Naruto's inexperience with this kind of thing nor did she mention Sasuke's freshman status. It was obvious that he would stick with his decision no matter what she said. Oh well, she would humor him. For now at least.

* * *

1 This idea to put up the motivations on a board was something I borrowed from the game Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper. It's almost exactly the same actually heh.

2 I actually don't know if psychosis was a known mental disorder at this time in history. However, for the sake of this story I'm going to pretend like it was.


	11. Ch 10 Saucy Jacky Sends His Love

A/N: I've discovered that when you sign up for Driver's Ed, you also sign off your social life for four weeks. And your homework time. And your personal time. And your fanfiction time. It kind of sucks a little. And it makes the weekends seem so much more beautiful. Anyways, this chapter was going to be a lot longer, but I decided to cut if in half. I'll include the rest of it in the next chapter. Feedback is always appreciated. ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 10: Saucy Jacky Sends His Love

_Monday, 1 October 1888 – 9:00 AM_

Sasuke was tempted to examine his head in the mirror to check for any early gray hairs. He was only twenty years of age, but with all the stress he was enduring lately he was pretty sure it was possible. Alright, curiosity won over. Unfortunately though, he would have to wait later to look.

It wasn't another Ripper letter. Apparently, the killer wanted to shake it up a little. Instead, Sasuke was looking over Itachi's shoulder at a small, blood-stained postcard.

"This doesn't make sense," Itachi mumbled, eyes narrowed in disbelief. "It's only the day after the murders. We didn't get the 'Dear Boss' letter until a few weeks after Chapman's murder."

Orochimaru shrugged lazily. "Don't ask me. I just retrieved it from the Central News Agency."

Kakashi picked up the envelope the postcard was mailed in off the table and examined it. "That's not the only odd thing. Did you check the dates? The letter was mailed before the murders were publicized, but it was postmarked more than twenty-four hours after the murders occurred."

"Are you sure?" Shikamaru asked skeptically. He grudgingly pushed himself away from the table he was leaning on and took the envelope Kakashi offered. "Huh, that is strange. Do you think the postcard is a hoax then?"

"I'm not sure," Kakashi replied. "It mentions information about the victims that wasn't known when it was mailed, but by the time the letter was postmarked those details were already widely spread. The dates contradict each other."

"Maybe one or both of the dates were confused or tampered with somehow?" Shikamaru suggested.

Sasuke let their conversation fade into the background. "Itachi, can I see the postcard so that I can copy it into my notebook?" he asked his deeply-concentrating brother.

Itachi didn't reply but wordlessly gave Sasuke the postcard and skulked over to sit at his desk. Sasuke also took a seat and flipped in his notebook to find a blank page, where he wrote down the date and then set to copying the postcard. He read silently to himself as he scribbled the words down:

_I was not codding dear old Boss when I gave you the tip. youll hear about saucy Jackys work tomorrow. double event this time number one squealed a bit couldnt finish straight off. had no time to get ears for police thanks for keeping last letter back till I got to work again._

_Jack the Ripper_

Wait…what was that? Sasuke backtracked through the postcard until he reached the part talking about the double event. The Ripper mentioned that Kurenai "squealed a bit" and he "couldn't finish straight off". Did that confirm their theory that he was interrupted by someone, most likely that steward Asuma?

Sasuke looked up at the four inspectors hesitantly. None of them had mentioned anything about it. Did that mean they hadn't noticed it? No, that couldn't be. They were all geniuses; they would've already made the connection. But then why didn't they bring the topic up? Was the connection not important? He spun the pen between his fingers nervously. He didn't want to bring it up and make a fool of himself or otherwise be totally ignored…but he knew this was important, too.

Hmm…didn't Naruto say that Asuma came by the bakery every Monday and Friday without fail? There was the third solution, then. If he was going to do anything about this situation, he had to act now. The best thing to do would be to go to the Smith Bakery to ask Naruto more about Asuma.

"Alright, here's the plan," Orochimaru announced suddenly, attracting every individual's attention with his powerful, authoritative voice. He leaned forward in his sitting position on top of one of the empty desks to address them all. "We can't do _nothing_, so we might as well do _something_. Let's take the 'Dear Boss' letter and this new postcard and publish them both in the papers. The handwriting on both is strikingly similar, so hopefully, between the two of them, _someone_ will be able to recognize the handwriting."

Kakashi nodded. "That's a good idea. It should work. I'll get right on it." He took the postcard when Sasuke offered it and left Itachi's office in a hurry. Sasuke watched him go with one word running through his head: desperate. _We're all so desperate now._

After a few moments of silence Orochimaru ran a hand through his long black hair and sighed. "If I'm going to concentrate on anything, I'll need some caffeinated help. Sasuke, be a dear and fetch us some coffee, will you?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to object that he already had a task of his own when Shikamaru got up and sighed. "Don't bother, Sasuke. I'm already going to get some for myself so I'll get some for everyone else too, however troublesome it may be. Do you want some?"

"No thanks. I was actually going to go see Kabuto real quick to find out some information about the two recent victims and then I'm leaving." Shikamaru nodded and left. Sasuke turned to Itachi before he left, unsure of what to say. Itachi's head was in his hands, his fingers threaded through his dark locks. "I'll see you back at the house later, Itachi. I'm just going to stop by and see Naruto and then Sakura." He thought he saw Itachi tilt his head in a slight nod and took it that he heard.

Sasuke reached the morgue in a matter of minutes and peered through the window, seeing Kabuto bending over a long table. He knocked and Kabuto looked back, surprised but glad to see him, and waved him in.

"It's cold in here," Sasuke commented, rubbing his arms after he closed the door.

"Yes, it's better to preserve the bodies. We wouldn't want them becoming moldy on us, would we?" His small smirk accompanied the dark humor.

Sasuke, used to these kinds of jokes from Kabuto, didn't reply but instead walked around the table to see who or what was on it. There was a woman, white and stitched up all over, but she wasn't Kurenai or Temari.

Noticing Sasuke's surprise, Kabuto smiled slightly. "I wouldn't have let you in if it was Eddowes or Stride."

"Why? I saw them both how the Ripper left them. I don't think I can see much worse."

Kabuto paused in his work to give Sasuke a grim look. "That's true, but there are two different types of horrors. In some ways, I think the way they look after I stitch them up is more frightening than how they looked when they came to me. It's hard to explain, but at least they still look human when you find them, although a human who's been touched by unfortunate circumstances. When I'm through with them, they resemble dolls; expressionless, frightful dolls that not even the bravest little girl would want to dress up."

Sasuke glanced from the corpse to the needle attached to black thread imbedded in the skin, back to Kabuto's face. "If the sights frighten you, then why don't you change your job? Do something else?"

Kabuto threw his head back in a light chuckle. He regarded Sasuke with amused eyes. "Sasuke, I mean no offense when I say that you're quite naïve." He smiled when Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he huffed indignantly. "I just mean that it's easy to see that you don't have much work experience. It's not that simple that I can quit and find another job. I've been doing this ever since Mr. Reid recruited me; I couldn't leave him now. My debt isn't even close to being repaid."

Sasuke frowned. "What debt?"

Another smile was directed his way. "Somehow I knew you would ask that." He pointed with the needle in his hand to a nearby chair. "You might want to take a seat. This story isn't short."

Sasuke took his advice and sat in the stiff metal chair, deciding not to waste any time on trying to make himself comfortable in it. He crossed his arms. "Begin."

"Alright. I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to continue to work as I talk. Let's see, where to begin? I guess I'll start from when I was a teenager, just a few years younger than you. All of the years up until then weren't pretty. I lost both my parents to illness when I was only fourteen years old. I couldn't tell you which particular illness; it said on their death certificates, but I was illiterate then. Anyways, for five years after that I floated around London, doing random errands and favors for a few coins to afford food. Until one day that changed my life.

"I should probably mention that when my parents were still alive, I had an almost obsessive fascination with the way things worked. I liked to take apart toys and watches to find out what parts did what, then I would put them back together again. Anyways, in my years of homelessness, that interest developed into something more complex. One day, I came upon a cat lying, dying, in an alley. I took it back to the "home" I'd established, which was nothing more than a few scraps of wood and cloth thrown together, to care for the animal. It didn't last the night.

"Now, I knew that if I left the cat there it would just be eaten by a starving dog or person. However, it was also too dark and too cold to bury the animal. It was then that I developed a sudden desire to know the anatomy of the animal, and to find out the cause of death. Whether it was right or wrong of me, I don't know to this day, but I gave in to curiosity and boredom and I dissected the animal using a dirty slice of glass I found and some rusty nails and such. I was both disgusted and enthralled by what I saw and experienced. The insides of the animal were less pleasing to the eye than the machinery of a watch, but it was also new and different and extremely fascinating. Let's just say that after that, there were fewer dead animals littering the streets.

"Now I guess I'll wrap up the rest of the story rather quickly. I didn't mean to bore you with all the information. I guess I didn't realize how in-depth I went. Anyways, one day I ventured into the heart of Whitechapel to search for more animals, when I accidentally bumped rudely into a stranger, who I now know as Mr. Reid. I saw his inspector badge and apologized profusely, not only for bumping into him but also for my sick obsession. He appeared to be interested and inquired what exactly my activities were. He had me dissect the animal in front of him and tell him what I thought each organ was and its function. After that he told me that he thought I had potential and that I shouldn't waste it on road kill. He said that he could provide the means for me to make a living from my hobby. I readily agreed, and from then on I lived with him under his tutelage. He taught me to read and write and provided the means for me to expand my skills. He had me practice my dissecting on pigs for a long time until I got it perfect, and then he let me try humans. And now I work under him and receive a generous pay, but I still owe him so much. He made me who I am today."

Sasuke slowly absorbed all of the history. He was surprised at how little he knew of his friend. In fact, neither of them knew that that much about each other. Their friendship was actually an accident, although an accident with positive consequences. Well, at least now he practically had his biography. One thing that surprised him though was Kabuto's past poverty. For whatever reason, he'd always thought of him as having a rich upbringing. And at least now he understood Kabuto's undying loyalty to that snake.

"So that's why you're so loyal to that bast- Orochimaru," Sasuke commented, barely catching himself.

Kabuto chuckled. "Now _you_ tell me Sasuke, why do you dislike Mr. Reid?"

Sasuke fidgeted uncomfortably. "Well, I feel like he looks down on me," he said. "I know I'm a newbie, but he tells me I have potential and then he acts like I'm some type of…I don't know, domestic servant. Not to mention he kind of creeps me out sometimes. I feel like he…flirts with me."

Kabuto smiled understandingly as Sasuke blushed in embarrassment. "I see. Well I think I might be able to ease your worries slightly. First, I'll confirm your suspicions. Mr. Reid doesn't take you seriously. He is interested in your relation to Itachi and he does think you may replace your brother someday, but he doesn't see you as a challenge or an aid right now."

Although he suspected as much, Sasuke couldn't hide the disappointment on his face. Orochimaru didn't take him seriously. Was he not the only one? Did everyone working on the case feel that way?

Kabuto smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. But I wouldn't be too put down by it. Between you and me, when your brother walked through the doors of this place for the first time, Mr. Reid wasn't too impressed. That is, until he experienced working with Itachi. Now, Itachi is one of the few men Mr. Reid actually fully respects."

"So I need to prove myself to Orochimaru, like Itachi did?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, I wouldn't make that your life's goal, but if you did then I can almost guarantee that Mr. Reid's "flirting" would stop," Kabuto said with an amused smile. "I honestly don't know his sexual preferences, but I don't think he's teasing you out of romantic interest. I think it's just another one of the ways he looks down on you."

That actually made sense. Sasuke had never really taken Orochimaru's flirting seriously, but he didn't think of that possibility either. "Thanks. That makes me feel less creeped out."

Kabuto snickered. "My pleasure." Having finished sowing up the corpse, he broke off the thread and knotted it, setting the tools he used in some type of sterilizing liquid. "May I ask one more question? I was wondering if you came down here to ask me something or if you just wanted my company. The latter is perfectly fine, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't distracting you from something important."

"Oh, I nearly forgot!" Sasuke fished his notebook out of his vest and balanced it open on his knee. "I came to see if you identified which organs were removed from Temari Eddowes yet."

"Ah, I was actually going to send a note to your brother when I finished up with this. But seeing as you're already here, I'll just tell you." Kabuto removed his latex gloves and went over to a filing cabinet near his desk where he removed a vanilla-colored file. He flipped through it until he apparently found what he was looking for. "The left kidney and the major part of the uterus were removed from Temari Eddowes." Kabuto waited until Sasuke finished copying the information into his notebook before he spoke again. "There's something else you should probably know. A piece of Eddowes' ear is missing. When I went to the scene to examine the body before it was taken to the morgue, the piece dropped from her clothing when she was lifted."

Sasuke cocked his head to the side curiously. "Why does that sound so familiar? Oh, I know!" He flipped through the pages of his notebook until he found the page dedicated to the 'Dear Boss' letter. "'The next job I do I shall clip the lady's ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly wouldn't you'," Sasuke read. "And then in the 'Saucy Jacky' postcard, he said 'ha not the time to get ears for police'. So did he attempt to get an ear, but ran out of time? Either way, this confirms that Jack the Ripper _did_ write both of these." He wrote this information into his notebook and tucked it into his vest before he moved to his feet. "Thanks Kabuto, for everything. Now I have to go see Naruto about something important."

Kabuto smiled and waved him toward the door. "You're welcome. We'll have to have parties like this more often."

Sasuke laughed as he opened the door. "You bet. Goodbye."

Kabuto waved as the door shut behind him.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

"Hey Sasuke," Naruto greeted from his position at the register. Sasuke could hear Iruka shuffling around in the other room. "What brings you here, other than your loneliness from not being in my presence?"

"Moron," Sasuke commented, although he couldn't stop his smile. "I'm actually here about the case."

Naruto suddenly became serious. "How can I help?"

"You know how you said Asuma comes by the bakery every Monday and Friday? Has he shown up today yet, and if so, at what time?"

"Umm let's see…" Naruto tapped his chin thoughtfully. "No, I don't think I've seen him today yet. He usually doesn't come by until about 4:00 though."

Sasuke checked the time on his watch. "Ok, good. Then can you do me a favor? I have to go take care of other things, but when he comes can you hold him until I get here? I'll come at 4:00."

Naruto grinned. "You can count on me!"

"Thanks. But one other thing. Don't tell him that I'm coming. Just engage him in conversation until I arrive. But if he insists on leaving, tell him that a friend of yours wants to meet him. Just don't tell him that it's about the case or anything like that, or he might try to run."

Naruto cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Why would he run?"

"I'm not sure, but he fled on the night of the murders when he heard an inspector was coming."

"Hmm. Maybe he thinks you think he's a suspect," Naruto suggested.

Sasuke shrugged. "Maybe. Also, Naruto, can I ask you one more thing?" At Naruto's nod he pulled out his notebook and ripped off a page with a copy of the graffito scrawled at the top in neat print. He handed it to Naruto. "If you have any spare time can you work on this? I'm going to ask Sakura if she can help too. We'll figure this out together."

Naruto grinned and pumped a fist in the air. "Hell yeah we will!"

Sasuke returned the smile. "Thanks. Now I have to go, but I'll be back at 4:00. I'm counting on you."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Sasuke wasn't surprised when he found Sakura's small room empty. He was, however, surprised at the note taped to the outside of her door, scrawled in urgent, messy handwriting. It read:

_Meet me at the place where we were reunited._

Sasuke re-read it, slightly worried. Although messy, Sakura's writing style was still noticeable. But she didn't address it to someone and didn't sign it from herself. Why? He assumed it was meant for him, but why did she seem so cautious? She didn't say where she was, but made a puzzle that was only answerable by him. Was she afraid the wrong person would see it? It seemed like she was hiding from someone…

So many questions and only one way to get the answers. Sasuke turned on his heel, thrusting the note in his pocket, and made a beeline in the direction of the Ten Bells. When he arrived, he found Sakura seated at the table farthest from the door, watching it with wide, unblinking eyes. When she saw him her countenance flooded with relief.

He immediately sat down beside her and took her face in his hands. Her cheeks were cold. "Are you okay?" he breathed.

She didn't respond. She only handed him a crumpled piece of paper which had been clutched in her hand. He read it and his blood ran cold with fear and fury:

_If it's the last thing I'll ever do_

_I'm going to get you_

_ Jack the Ripper__1_

"Sakura." He embraced her and held her tight as her tears moistened his shoulder. "Who gave this to you?"

Her sobs prevented her from answering at first, but after a few minutes she was able to compose herself. "No one did," she answered through light sniffles. "It was stuck to my door. _He knows where I live!"_

The last part was uttered in a frightened squeak, and Sasuke tightened his arms around her. "Sakura, you can't stay there anymore. It's too dangerous."

She sniffed and nodded her head in consent. "I'm going to try and find a new apartment today," she replied.

Sasuke pulled back but held her at arm's length. "You don't have to. You can come stay with Iruka, Naruto, Itachi, and I," he said firmly. "If only until we catch this bastard."

Sakura bit her lip. "Sasuke, I can't live there again. I still feel guilty. Even if Naruto and Iruka have forgiven me, I still haven't forgiven myself."

Sasuke started to feel the beginning of despairs touch his heart. Sakura was immutable. "Please," he begged. "This is your _life_ we're talking about, Sakura. The past is not as important as what's happening right now."

Sakura took Sasuke's hands between hers. "I'm not going to try to pretend I'm not scared. I'm absolutely terrified. But this isn't only my life. Look at the note: 'if it's the last thing I'll ever do'. Sasuke, he might hurt you and everyone else to get to me! I know you'll risk it, and that's one of the things I like about you, but think about it. Your goal is to stop Jack the Ripper so he can't kill me or any other unfortunate woman. But if you hide me, or any other targeted woman, do you think he'll let it slide that easily? _He'll get back at you._"

Sasuke's chest tightened painfully and he threw his head back roughly, clenching his teeth to hold in a scream of frustration. Sakura was right. He didn't know what to do now, and it was killing him. But Itachi would know. Damn it, he was still relying on his brother for everything! But Sakura was more important than his pride.

"Sakura, I'm going to talk to Itachi," he said. "He'll know what to do. Maybe he can get approval to let you stay in the headquarters or something. Anything will be better than you staying alone." He looked at her, examined her frightened face and trembling arms and knees. He couldn't stand it. He clutched her body to his and kissed her, trying to pour all of his comfort into her shaking frame. Pressing his forehead against hers, he stared firmly into her eyes. "Don't ever let yourself be alone. Always stay around people. I _will_ get you through this; that's a promise."

* * *

1 This was not an actual note left by Jack the Ripper. I actually borrowed those lyrics from the song Jack the Ripper by AFI.


	12. Ch 11 Eventually Can't Come Soon Enough

A/N: Summer is finally here! WOOT! Next year I'll be a junior – that's scary and exciting at the same time! Oh, important note, I've decided to stop putting underlined hints in my story. This turned out to be much longer than I expected when I started putting clues in it, so if I continued that, you would all know the killer before I wanted you to. So you're on your own for now. :P As always, constructive criticism is appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 11: Eventually Can't Come Soon Enough

Breathless, both clothes and hair damp from the slight drizzle of rain that had started, Sasuke provided quite a sight for Itachi when he burst into his temporary office. Itachi quickly composed himself from the shock and asked his brother what was wrong.

"It's Sakura," Sasuke choked out, collapsing in the chair Itachi offered. "She's in trouble."

Itachi straightened up attentively. "What happened?"

In reply, Sasuke pulled out the folded note from his pocket and dropped it on his brother's desk. He carefully watched Itachi's expressions as he read the threatening note. At first he revealed surprise but he soon wiped his face clean like a chalkboard and Sasuke could no longer make out what he was thinking.

"Where did she find this?" Itachi asked, switching into detective-mode.

"It was stuck to the outside of her door," Sasuke said excitedly. "The Ripper knows where she lives! She's not safe living there anymore. She's not safe anywhere if she's alone. But she refuses to move in with us temporarily, so I thought that maybe you could make it so that she could stay here at the headquarters when no one is using it – "

"Sasuke," Itachi said patiently, cutting him off before he could continue his rambling. "Calm down. This might not be as serious as you think it is."

Sasuke's jaw dropped. "What are you talking about? Didn't you read the fucking note?"

"Little brother," Itachi said calmly, "you're blinded. How do we know that this note is not a hoax? Yes, it could be from Jack the Ripper, just as the multiple letters we've been receiving could be, but it's also likely that it could be a cruel joke. With nothing against Sakura, I'm sure that she has enemies other than the Ripper."

The sense of Itachi's explanation leaked through the damaged wall of unreasonable stubbornness which Sasuke was still fighting to defend. His voice faltered slightly as he spoke. "But what if the note is legitimate? Isn't it better to be safe than sorry?"

Itachi didn't immediately answer. He ran a hand through his long hair and sighed. "Sasuke, I'm going to explain something to you that you really won't like, but I would appreciate it if you saved your objections until after I'm done." He waited until Sasuke nodded to continue. "I do agree that we should be cautious, because there is a chance that the note is legitimate. However, what you're suggesting is that we put Sakura under maximum lockdown and make it impossible for the Ripper to lay a finger on her. That will not work." Sasuke opened his mouth to retort indignantly but a look from Itachi silenced him. "Think about the content of the note. If those are the Ripper's true feelings, and he is immutably set on making her his next victim, then he will _wait_. We could hide her for months, years, and if he hadn't found a way to outsmart us by then, he would wait more. We would give in, Sakura would give in, long before he would.

"And just think of how that would affect Sakura. Constantly in hiding, like a caged bird. I'm sure that you of all people know that Sakura would not put up with that. The paranoia and the fear would drive her insane if she did not rebel and sneak out first. No, we can't shelter her. She needs to continue life as normal. Maybe move into a new apartment in the same area at the most, but otherwise she shouldn't deviate from her normal pattern."

Sasuke drew in a shaky breath, clutching the fabric of his pants with his nails in an attempt to keep his emotions under control. "So what you're suggesting," he growled, "is that we use Sakura as bait. We watch and wait for the Ripper to make a move, and hope that we can get to him before he gets to her."

Itachi's face was devoid of emotion as he refolded the note and pushed it across the table to Sasuke. "It's the only way, Sasuke. Sakura would agree." He seemed to hesitate for a moment before reaching over and grabbing the note back up off the table. "On second thought, I should keep this to inform Mr. Reid of this new instance."

Sasuke's fingers trembled as he watched Itachi calmly stuff the note into his vest pocket. Finally he stood up so that he was taller than Itachi, looking down at him. "What I'm still trying to understand," Sasuke said without the least attempt at civility, "is how you can say that without feeling completely disgusted with yourself."

He watched as Itachi closed his eyes and tightened his lips into a hard line. When he re-opened them they were narrowed angrily. "I told you not to get emotionally involved, Sasuke. I warned you that you would get hurt."

A few seconds passed before Sasuke replied. "I would rather be hurt," he spat, "than be as inhuman as you are right now."

Sasuke took wide, angry strides to the door, but Itachi waited until the door slammed shut to rest his head on the desk and allow water to stain the cheap wood.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Sakura took a deep breath and released it. She was standing in front of the formidable doors of the police headquarters, determined to go in, but not finding the courage to open the doors. The reason was her shameful occupation. Every time she passed an officer in the streets, their eyes revealed disgust and sometimes even loathing. She didn't hate them for it – she knew her activities weren't respectable – but it still unsettled her to enter a building crawling with gentleman who despised her.

But no matter her unease – she needed to speak with Itachi. She was no less nervous as she pushed through the doors and asked the frowning receptionist where Inspector Abberline's office was. However, as she walked through the halls following the receptionist's directions, she was pleased to note that a majority of the officers seemed to be on duty somewhere else. Actually, she didn't encounter a soul except for when she reached the hall Itachi's office was located in.

A tall man with long black hair was walking down the same hall toward her. He walked proudly and confidently, and assuming he was someone of high rank, Sakura kept her eyes averted and simply offered him a polite nod when they neared each other. However, instead of continuing past her like she assumed he would do, he stopped directly in front of her.

"What business do you have here?" he asked flatly, although his eyes regarded her with interest.

Sakura quickly curtsied and introduced herself. "My name is Sakura Kelly, sir, and I have something to discuss with Inspector Abberline."

The man cocked his head to the side and Sakura saw a glint of something in his eyes but then it was gone. "Inspector Abberline, hm? Well, I think he may be busy at the moment, but I am the head inspector of this division, so I can take care of whatever your issue is."

Sakura shifted uncomfortably. "Thank you sir, but this is a matter I must speak about directly to Inspector Abberline."

"Directly to him?" he asked with a frown. "Is it a secret? I'm afraid you're sounding a little suspicious, Ms. Kelly."

Sakura stumbled for the right words in her head. She rang her hands together nervously. "No, sir, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that it's kind of personal."

Orochimaru crossed his arms and tilted his head back slightly, glaring down at her. "As I said, the inspector is working at the moment. If your issue is personal, you should address him later when he is done."

"Please, sir," Sakura begged, biting down her frustration. "It's important. It involves his brother, Sasuke Abberline."

Orochimaru was definitely intrigued now. Smirking, he said, "Ah, the silly boy. What has he done now?"

Sakura straightened her shoulders and glared up at him fearlessly. "Sir, if you don't let me see Itachi now then I will sit down right here and wait until he comes out."

Orochimaru's gaze hardened. "Insolent girl. I will let you get away with speaking to me that way once, but be sure not to do it again." He regarded her with cold eyes until he was sure the message came through. "Do as you wish," he said with a sneer, brushing past her and continuing on.

Sakura watched him go with relief. _I hope Sasuke doesn't have to deal with him everyday_, she thought. Shaking off the encounter, she followed the rest of the hallway until she reached the faded wooden door that was Itachi's office. She took a deep, calming breath before knocking. She hadn't seen or spoken to Itachi for years, and he was probably just as intimidating as before, or more so.

She was about to knock a second time but the door swung open from the inside, revealing a clearly exhausted Itachi, but he stood straight and professional nonetheless. However, when he saw who she was he allowed his shoulders to slump slightly. "Sakura", he acknowledged with a polite nod. "Please come in."

She did as he said and took a seat in front of his desk. He closed the door and walked past her, collapsing in his chair. He allowed his head to fall in his hands, threading his fingers into his hair. Sakura was surprised; she had never seen Itachi break down like this. She was especially shocked that he was doing is around _her,_ of all people. Not knowing exactly how to handle this, and pushing down her motherly instinct to offer physical comfort, Sakura gently asked, "Itachi, are you OK? What's wrong?"

Itachi inhaled deeply through his nose, blew out, and then removed his hands to look at her with tired eyes. "So many things," he replied. "Some that I can control and some that I can't. Sasuke is in the latter category."

"Sasuke is actually who I've come to talk to you about," she said. "I assume he's already spoken to you today?"

"Yes," Itachi replied. "He told me everything, asked me for a solution, and didn't like the one that I gave him."

She didn't need him to clarify. "He wanted you to hide me," Sakura said, "and you said no."

Itachi hesitated before answering. "That's correct."

Sakura sighed. "Good. He wouldn't listen to me, and I was too scared to continue to object. He doesn't understand that he can't protect me forever."

"No," Itachi disagreed. "He does understand; he understands more than he probably wants to. He wants to do it his way, but if we do it his way – and the note _was_ really written by the Ripper – then it will be more difficult to catch the killer."

Sakura smiled gently. "You don't have to word it so delicately. I know what you mean. If I go into hiding, the Ripper won't be able to come find me, so you won't be able to try and catch him. I know I need to be doing the opposite of lying low."

Itachi regarded her carefully. "And you're OK with that?"

Sakura shook her head. "Of course not. Do you want to know the truth? I'm absolutely terrified, Itachi, and part of me _hates_ you for making this decision. But I won't be selfish. Jack the Ripper has killed four women so far, and the numbers will only keep rising if you don't have the opportunity to catch him. The least I can do is to provide you with that opportunity."

Itachi crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair so that they were on the same eye-level. "You're much more sensible than Sasuke."

Sakura laughed. "Don't worry about Sasuke. He'll understand eventually that you're making the best decision you can."

"Eventually, yes," Itachi agreed with a sigh. "But I'm afraid he'll hate me long before eventually comes."

"And I might be gone long before then."

They were both silent. Itachi met her frightened eyes and could almost feel the butterflies which must have been frantically flapping their wings against the walls of her stomach. He sincerely said, "I truly am sorry, Sakura. But it's the only way I can think of. The note might not even be from Jack the Ripper, but -"

"Either way, it's from an enemy," Sakura finished. She didn't need Itachi's silence as a confirmation. "Well," she said with a shaky breath, speaking the words Itachi was thinking, "eventually can't come soon enough."


	13. Ch 12 Leave Your Heart Behind

A/N: For some reason, I had the toughest time thinking of the title for this one, so I just had to wing it. Oh, and I THINK that everything should start tying together in the next chapter, and the pace will start picking up. Also, thank you KiraraStar () for giving me the support I needed to get moving and post this chapter. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 12: Leave Your Heart Behind

_4:00 PM_

Leaning his weight against the wall of the bakery, Sasuke took a few deep breaths. He probably could've handled the situation with Itachi in a more respectable manner – a calmer voice, an open mind – but what's done is done. This was not the time to regret his words anyways. He needed to be professional; this meeting might bring him closer to saving Sakura.

Once he was certain he was emotionally stable, he pulled out his notebook and pen and entered the bakery. He heard voices before he saw anyone; one he recognized as Naruto's and the other wasn't familiar, though he assumed it belonged to Asuma. The two weren't at the front desk; actually, they were no where in the front room. But they must've heard the bell signaling that someone entered, because he heard Naruto politely excuse himself and sprint out of the kitchen.

"Sasuke!" he whispered loudly, bounding over to him. "I'm sorry, he came early. I've been stalling him by showing him around the kitchen. But he became suspicious, so I had to tell him there was someone who wanted to meet him…"

"What exactly did you tell him?" Sasuke asked in a hushed tone.

Naruto opened his mouth to reply but was stopped by Asuma's jolly voice. "Oh, is that the lady friend you told me about, Naruto?" He emerged from the kitchen, grinning from ear to ear, but his smile dropped immediately when he saw an obviously-male person standing next to Naruto. "Hey, that's no woman!"

Naruto laughed timidly, staring at the floor to avoid the two death glares being sent his way. "Well, you see, I might've fibbed a little…but it was for good reason!"

Sasuke sighed and dragged a hand down his face, deciding that there were more important things than Naruto's stupidity to be taken care of. He approached Asuma. "Excuse me, Asuma, but would you mind if I asked you a few questions regarding the murder of Elizabeth Stride?"

Asuma regarded him hesitantly. "I was already questioned by the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee. I told them everything I know."

"I'm not with _them_. I'm asking on behalf of Inspector Abberline and the Whitechapel police force," Sasuke said calmly. "It seems that you left the scene of the murder before giving a witness testimony and without informing the present officer. You haven't made contact with the police since then to give your account. I would like you to understand the consequences you will face if you don't give me your information as soon as possible."

Asuma seemed to consider it for a moment before consenting and following Naruto and Sasuke into the kitchen. Iruka silently exited to the front desk to give them privacy.

"Alright," Sasuke began, pulling out his notebook and pen as Asuma found a stool to sit on and Naruto seated himself on a nearby counter. Sasuke remained standing. "First, let me get the facts straight. The constable who was at the scene of Kurenai Stride's murder said that you were the first to find the body. What time was that?"

"1:00 AM," Asuma answered. "I was passing through the yard on my way home from my club – the International Working Men's Club - and my pony started acting up. She refused to go any further, and I couldn't figure out why until I saw a form on the ground off to the side, which I assumed was the thing unsettling her. I couldn't tell if it was a body at first – it was so dark, you see – until I lit a match." He paused and patiently waited for Sasuke to finish jotting down his notes.

"And what did you do after you found out that she was murdered?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I got the hell out of there as fast as I could," he said honestly. "When I found her, blood was still gushing out of her neck. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she was killed only moments before I found her."

Sasuke nodded as he wrote. "The official told me that you told him that you thought the killer was still in the yard when you discovered Stride."

Asuma nodded eagerly but his face was pale with the memory. "He had to be. As I said, her wound seemed too…fresh. Also, my pony was terrified. At first, I thought it was just the corpse that was bothering her. But then I realized that it was something more. Gore wouldn't frighten her that much. It was _evil_ that shook her bones, evil in living, breathing form. The killer was still in the yard."

"And that was when you went to find a constable," Sasuke stated, slightly unnerved by Asuma's disturbing words.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I'm not going to lie, I'm not brave. I definitely did not have the guts to stay there alone until one of them came by on their rounds."

Sasuke decided to get to the point that was bothering him the most. "When Inspector Abberline and I arrived at the scene of Stride's murder, the constable informed us that you had excused yourself to the restroom, took your pony and cart with you, and never came back. You have to be aware of the suspicion this places on you. Can you explain your actions?"

Asuma ran a hand through his short hair and sighed. "I can," he said, "although you'll probably laugh at me. I did excuse myself to the restroom, but not to take a piss. I went to throw up. Pretty pathetic, huh? I took my pony because although she was calmed down for the most part, she was still a little antsy. Even now, she still refuses to walk by that place.

"Now here's the worst part. You want to know why I didn't return to be a witness and never gave my testimony afterward? Because I'm a coward. I was so terrified, and still am, that the killer would come after me if I told the police what I know. Y'know, to silence me. I didn't see him, but what if he doesn't know that? I know it was wrong of me and I'll probably be arrested, but I was so scared."

Sasuke wrote this down and then closed his notebook. He had all that he needed. With difficulty, he made eye contact with Asuma. "Thank you for your time. I understand your fear, and avoiding the police was an instinctive reaction. But if I hadn't located you and gotten your testimony, you might've faced criminal charges." He paused. "I'll tell Inspector Abberline that you found me and told me, and not the other way around. Just don't make the same mistake next time please. To ease your fears, I'll also request to have a police officer stationed near your house for as long as I think is necessary."

Asuma straightened his shoulders and smiled, shaking Sasuke's hand warmly. "Thank you."

After Asuma left, Naruto approached Sasuke. "Are you really going to lie to Itachi, Sasuke?" he asked, swinging himself off of the countertop.

"No," Sasuke answered. "I'll tell Itachi the truth. He'll understand. But I _will_ twist the truth for Orochimaru; he won't feel any sympathy for Asuma."

"That sounds like a good plan," Naruto said, then thoughtfully added, "but will Itachi keep the truth from Orochimaru?"

Sasuke hesitated before answering. He honestly didn't know if his brother would lie to Orochimaru. "I guess I'll find out."

Before Sasuke left the bakery Naruto said one other thing, nonchalantly. "Y'know, you sounded really professional back there. Itachi would've been proud."

A few months ago, Sasuke would've beamed at the compliment. Now, he wasn't so sure it was a good thing.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_8:00 PM_

As the sky grew darker outside his window, Sasuke tried to stop his mood from matching it. After leaving the bakery, he went to the Ten Bells to find Sakura, but she wasn't there. Her room was just as deprived of her presence. This of course inspired worry and anxiety, but he tried to push it down. He knew he needed to stop smothering her. Maybe she needed time to herself.

So, in respect to her, he also took time to himself by burying himself in his translation. So far, he'd only created a drabble of miscellaneous words that didn't seem to fit together. At one point, begrudgingly, he allowed himself to ask what Itachi would do, and the answer came to him with surprising ease. _Put myself in Jack the Ripper's perspective…_

A shudder ran through him at the vile thought, but he knew that was what was required of him if he were to decipher this code. After all, isn't that what Sakura did when she picked out the derogatory word describing her profession out of the endless plethora of words?

Sasuke stared at the two neat words Sakura scribbled in his notebook before: 'beware' and 'whores'. What was the Ripper telling them to beware? It was obviously a threatening message, but what did he intend to threaten them with? _Female prostitutes…_ Sasuke rolled the words over in his mind. _What do they have to fear? Vengeful customers?...Men in general?_ He scanned the graffiti and tentatively crossed out the three corresponding letters, then wrote the words next to Sakura's two.

Alright, beware men. But which men? Or did the Ripper mean to warn them of a quality men possessed? Sasuke inhaled deeply through his nose and exhaled, closing his eyes briefly. Thinking back over the Ripper's atrocities and messages, it seemed like he was taking _revenge_ on the women. He looked at the message. 'Revenge' wouldn't work.

What else then? _A man who's taking revenge feels that he has the right to pass judgment over the person. Judgment?_ Sasuke crossed out the letters. So far, the words he had to work with were 'beware', 'whores', 'judgment', and 'men'. Suddenly his mind began to work very quickly. He crossed out more letters and rewrote the words in a sentence. He read it aloud to himself. "Beware whores the judgment of men…" But that left fifteen letters unused. He ran a hand through his hair tiredly. He didn't see what he could make of the remaining letters, but maybe Naruto could help him tomorrow.

For now, he needed his rest.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Itachi crept up the stairs lightly, not wanting the creaking boards to awake Naruto, Iruka, or Sasuke. It was a long day at the headquarters again and he was only just returning to catch a few hours of sleep. As he reached the top floor he paused at Sasuke's room, peering in through the cracked door. His brother's back was facing him.

He pushed open the door quietly and slipped in, sitting down on the edge of Sasuke's bed. His brother's breathing was deep and even, and Itachi hoped he was having peaceful dreams. He gently brushed black bangs off of Sasuke's eyes, smiling in amusement when he saw that Sasuke fell asleep in his clothes again. He pulled the blanket farther up his body and then resumed stroking his hair.

"You know," he said quietly, "sometimes I wish that I was never assigned this case." Sasuke's features relaxed slightly. "It has brought pain to everyone involved in it. You, Sakura, me. And the only way I can stop the pain is if I catch this killer, which is proving to be much more difficult than I first imagined." He sighed and retracted his fingers from Sasuke's hair. He observed his little brother's peaceful facial features. "I promised mother and father that I would always watch over you, and I have. But I would break that promise in an instant if I could give up my life to guarantee Sakura's. I want you to have a happy life, Sasuke, without my shadow. I know you can't hear me, but I love you, little brother."

Itachi quietly stood from the bed and walked over to the door, solemnly looking at Sasuke before saying "I'm sorry, Sasuke, for everything," and then shutting the door completely, sealing his heart within the room, leaving it with the boy sleeping inside.


	14. Ch 13 Progress

A/N: Thanksgiving break! Huzzah! I love food 3. And Black Friday. Woop! By the way, new Harry Potter movie = AMAZINGESS! And I would apologize for the late update, but they're going to continue to be this far apart probably, unfortunately.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 13: Progress

_Sunday, October 7 1888_

Although the sunset cast an orange glow on the tombstones, the graveyard didn't feel any warmer. Sasuke clutched his jacket tighter around him, trying to ignore the chill. He wasn't sure why he was here; he'd already visited his parents a few days ago. All he knew was that he was looking for something.

He came upon a row of four small tombstones in a perfect horizontal line. He didn't need to check the names to know who they belonged to. Lying in front of each tombstone were two red roses. Spaced evenly away from the fourth tombstone was another set of roses, but these had no headstone. They were obviously intended for someone, though…

Sasuke looked up from the roses and glanced around. He was in Sakura's small room now, but it was different. There was blood splashed on the walls above the bed. Entrails were laid out neatly on the bedside table. And on the bed itself…Sasuke wasn't sure if it was human or not. It looked as if someone had carved a human pumpkin. Nearly all the organs had been removed from the body. The throat was severed down to the spine. The face was so sliced up that the person was unidentifiable, and an onlooker would no longer be able to tell if the sheets had originally been red at the time of purchase.

Sasuke walked over to the head of the bed and grasped a few strands of the victim's severed blood-stained hair, twisting it between his fingers. The blood rubbed off and revealed pink.1

Next to the head, a bloody knife was left. Sasuke wiped it off on his shirt and stared at the metal. The reflection revealed a shadowy man dressed in black, carving Sakura's body. He pulled something out of her chest. He then turned around with her heart in his hand and stared straight at Sasuke…

xXx

Sasuke began to gag. He hurriedly sat up in his bed, coughing fiercely. All he could smell was blood; the coppery substance flooded his sense. He could hear it, taste it, see it, feel it, smell it. It was everywhere! He stumbled over to the window and yanked it open, upchucking his dinner onto the street below.

He hung over the window, breathing slowly. The cool night air caressed his face, injecting him with a sense of calm. As the haze of blood began to fade from his mind, the face of the murderer in his dream became more vivid. The facial features themselves were fuzzy now, but the hair was still recognizable. Long, spiky white hair…something not unfamiliar to Sasuke. He had never considered Jiraiya a suspect before…but then again, he'd never really had a reason to. He still didn't now. A dream wasn't enough to convict a man of murder. But still, it bothered him.

Sasuke refused to think of Sakura. He would _not_ acknowledge that…thing…as her. She was beautiful, youthful, and alive; not a human pumpkin. And he would make sure she stayed that way.

He closed the window and sat back down on his bed. He saw his notebook on the bedside table out of the corner of his eye. He finished the decoding yesterday…but he hadn't shown it to anyone. 'Bewore whores the jugment of menn blatant tiill deathh'. It wasn't perfect; he had to misspell words to make it work. He was starting to doubt that there even was a secret message…

But at the same time, he felt like he was right. The problem was making other people (specifically Itachi) give him a chance. His decoding was a little bit of a stretch though…better run it past Naruto before doing anything else.

Sasuke checked the clock: it was 12:00 AM. He hadn't been asleep very long…maybe Naruto was still awake. He quietly walked over to Naruto's door and opened it a crack. Peaking inside, he saw that Naruto was at his desk, bathed in the faint light of a candle, staring intently at an opened book.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, entering the room completely.

Naruto glanced up and smiled tiredly. "Just studying law. Exciting, I know."

Sasuke remembered his conversation with Sakura. _"I think Naruto wants to make enough money so that he can support Iruka…"_ He closed the door and sat cross-legged on Naruto's bed. "Do you even _want_ to be a lawyer, Naruto?"

"Of course," he replied. "Why would I be studying it if I didn't want to?" he joked.

_I can think of a reason,_ Sasuke thought, but decided to drop the subject. "I think I decoded the graffiti," he said.

Naruto's expression brightened. "That's great!" he exclaimed. "Can I see it?" Sasuke handed him the notebook and Naruto read it. "Wow. That's better than what I have."

"What do you have?"

"'Beware women that tell lies…' and that's as far as I got." He chuckled. "I couldn't make sense of the rest of the letters."

Sasuke laughed too. "Nice." He read his own decoding again. "But is mine right? I don't need it to sound good, I need it to be right."

"Well, there's no way we can know if it's right without asking the Ripper himself," Naruto pointed out. "Your translation sounds like something this psychopath would write…but you really want Itachi's approval, not mine."

Sasuke wasn't surprised that Naruto would see through him. "I need it to be right so that Itachi will actually see that I have _some_ credibility. He'll think the whole idea is preposterous as it is."

"Yeah, that's probably true," Naruto said honestly. "But let me ask you this: if Itachi refused to give your decoding any credibility, what would you do? I know you wouldn't give up on it. You're too stubborn."

Sasuke scowled. "I'm not stubborn…Alright, maybe a little," he amended after Naruto's disbelieving look. "But I also feel like I'm on the right track. Everyone else is looking at this case objectively, but I think there's also value to subjectivity, and that's the approach I'm taking."

Naruto nodded. "But you haven't answered my question."

"That's because I'm not sure of my answer," he replied with a sigh. "You were right; even if Itachi refuses me, I won't give this up. But I can't take it to Orochimaru; without Itachi, I'm nothing to him."

"Who thinks you're _not_ nothing, then?"

Sasuke smiled slightly. "That's a good question…" And then suddenly he had an answer. There was one person with influence who though he had potential…but _he_ was a last resort. Itachi wouldn't approve, anyway.

"Well, we can't move forward until Itachi either approves or rejects it," Naruto pointed out. "Are you confident in it?"

"Yes."

"Well then show him tomorrow," Naruto said with a grin. "Now go get some sleep."

Sasuke smiled and slipped off the bed. "You should take your own advice."

Naruto stuck out his tongue childishly as Sasuke left the room.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Monday, 8 October 1888_ - _9:00 AM_

Sasuke yawned and stretched as he sat down at the kitchen table. Iruka was already at work, Itachi was nowhere to be found, and Naruto was devouring pancakes.

"Save some for me, loser," Sasuke said, yanking the plate away from him.

"Hey!" Naruto objected. "Did you help make those? I don't think so. None for you!" he tugged the plate back toward him, but not before Sasuke snatched two and stuffed them in his mouth.

"How d'ya like dem apples?" Sasuke asked through a mouthful of pancakes. Naruto just scowled and continued eating. When Sasuke was able to speak normally he asked Naruto about Itachi's whereabouts.

"He left about an hour ago," Naruto replied. "Said he was stopping by the headquarters and then going to the library, if you needed him."

"To the library it is, then." Sasuke pushed in his chair and headed upstairs. After dressing and freshening up, he snatched his notebook and said goodbye to Naruto. He'd gone to the library too many times to count as a child, so he didn't flag down a hansom to take him.

October was a bitter month in Whitechapel. Its harsh winds and dark days signaled the approach of the unforgiving winter, and people were already preparing themselves for misery. Children with no shoes and ripped jackets scampered about the streets, trying to stay warm and entertain themselves at the same time. Drunks were passed out in dark corners, and the wealthier of the neighborhood were layering on their coats.

Sasuke had forgotten how bad it really was. No wonder the Ripper chose Whitechapel as his hunting ground; these people would go unnoticed.

The small library appeared on his right. It hadn't changed much over the years, except that it looked a little more rundown than before. Sasuke wondered why Itachi didn't choose to go to the nicer London library instead; it had more resources. He assumed it was because their parents always used this library.

When Sasuke was younger, he didn't understand why their family stayed in Whitechapel. They had enough money to move somewhere nicer. But now he knew that it was because his parents felt an obligation to this miserable place; his mother with her psychological assistance and his father as head of the police force. An obligation that Itachi now possessed.

Sasuke entered the familiar establishment. Although the outside was rundown, the inside was just as homey as he remembered it. The librarians smiled warmly at him when he entered, and the comforting smell of candle wax and old books filled his nostrils. He wondered if Itachi felt the same sense of security here.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Sasuke asked, approaching an elderly librarian. "Has a man who looks similar to me but older been in here?" She smiled and pointed to a section on the far side of the library. "Thank you." Sasuke headed over to the section and sure enough saw Itachi at a table by himself, bent over an old book. "Itachi."

His older brother looked up and smiled. He looked exhausted, but he seemed to be in a good mood. "Come, Sasuke, sit down."

Sasuke did as his brother said. "What's that?" he asked, gesturing toward the book.

"Hopefully the answer to our little graffiti problem."

Sasuke's face fell. His gaze drifted to his own notebook. If Itachi had an answer already then was his even worth anything? "What's the answer?"

Itachi smiled. "I was hoping you would ask that." He flipped to a page he had bookmarked. "Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubelum: Juwes."

Sasuke tilted his head to the side curiously. "You mean the killers of Hiram Abiff? Wasn't he a Freemason?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. If my theory is correct, then that explains the spelling of 'Juwes'."

"A Masonic plot?" Sasuke asked doubtfully. His grip tightened on his notebook. "I had a different idea…"

Itachi looked surprised. "What is your idea?"

Sasuke took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "A message within a message. If you scramble the letters of the graffiti, you can find another message."

"And you found a secret message?" Itachi's tone was nothing less than incredulous.

"Yes." Sasuke showed him the decoding while reading it aloud. "Beware whores the judgment of men blatant till death."

Itachi frowned. "But you have to misspell words to make it work."

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. "I know, but…"

"Sasuke, I think you have a creative idea, but it's a little bit of a stretch."

"And a Freemason conspiracy theory isn't?" Sasuke pointed out.

Itachi sighed. "Sasuke, listen to me…"

"No, Itachi, _you_ listen to me," Sasuke said firmly. "I know you're older than me and you have more experience, but that doesn't mean I have nothing to offer. You say that I'm blinded by my emotions, but then you're blinded by a lack thereof. This _psychopath_ is acting on his _feelings_.2 If we treat this case with complete objectivity while the Ripper is treating it subjectively, then he's going to lap us every time in this race."

Itachi had listened patiently. "I understand how important it is for you to contribute to this case," he began carefully. "But with all due respect, Sasuke, you're forgetting your place. _I _am the inspector; _you_ are the junior record keeper." He paused; Sasuke didn't object. His tone softened. "But I appreciate your desire to help. If it's that important to you, I'll call a meeting and suggest your idea alongside mine."

Sasuke nodded. That was reasonable. "When will you hold the meeting?"

"I'll notify everyone today, and we should be able to have a meeting as soon as tomorrow."

"Alright…thank you."

Itachi smiled slightly. "Let me check out these books and then we'll go out to eat. I'm hungry."

Sasuke stomach growled noisily and he blushed. "Me too." As Itachi collected his books, Sasuke remembered his dream. "Oh, by the way, was Jiraiya ever investigated as a Ripper suspect? Just out of professional curiosity."

Itachi seemed surprised. "Yes, he was, early on. Because his ex-wife was the first victim, he was placed under suspicion. However, he has alibis for the times of all the murders." He paused. "Why?"

Sasuke shrugged. "No reason."

xXx

A/N: Hey, can anyone please explain to me the difference between a colon and a semicolon? I've honestly never known when to use which, and I'd like to improve that aspect of my writing. Thanks!

1 I snatched this little idea from the movie _From Hell_.

2 I learned how to break down this word in etymology class: psych=soul, and path=feeling. I just felt like showing off lol.


	15. Ch 14 From Hell

A/N: Just two short notes. First, Merry Whatever-You-Celebrate-During-This-Season and a Happy New Year to all! Also, I just wanted to say that I'm typing this out on my new laptop! Huzzah! I think I like my old keyboard better though lol.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 14: From Hell

_Tuesday, 9 October 1888 – 10:00 AM_

Sasuke sat next to Itachi at one end of the table. Occupying the seat at the other end was Orochimaru, hands folded neatly, ever-present smirk adorning his lips. The only other people at the table were inspectors Kakashi Moore and Shikamaru Andrews. Sasuke was disappointed to see that Kabuto was not present, but then again, his expertise wasn't really needed at this meeting.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Itachi began, standing up and addressing the men present. "I've called this meeting in order to propose two viewpoints concerning the Goulston Street graffito. The first belongs to me." Itachi flipped open the library book which contained his information. "We are all familiar with the graffito message: 'The Juwes are the men who will not be blamed for nothing'. I propose that Juwes, with its peculiar spelling, stands for Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubelum, the killers of the Freemason Hiram Abiff. It is possible that Jack the Ripper and these murders are part of a Masonic plot."

Itachi paused to let the three men consider the proposition. Then, with a glance at Sasuke, he flipped open Sasuke's notebook. "The second viewpoint was proposed by Sasuke. There might possibly be a hidden message within the graffito, if you scramble the letters. After thorough and extensive work, Sasuke produced a plausible message: 'Beware whores the judgment of men blatant till death'. However, certain words do have to be misspelled and tweaked to make it work. Though we must note from the Dear Boss letter and saucy Jacky postcard that grammar is not always high on the Ripper's priorities."

Shikamaru frowned and crossed his arms. "I'm not disregarding either of your theories, but honestly, these are all conjectures. And that's all they'll ever be, because we can't prove or disprove them…It leads one to wonder if this was the Ripper's intention all along. To keep us guessing, lead us astray."

"Shikamaru has a point," Kakashi said. "And even if one or both of you are right, does it make a difference? Will it really bring us any closer to catching this murderer?"

"It makes all the difference in the world, my dear Kakashi," drawled Orochimaru, who hadn't spoken until now. "Whether the graffito has a purpose or is simply a diversion matters not. His intentions _are_ what matters. Getting into the Ripper's frame of mind is everything. Once you have that, you have access to a number of possibilities." His golden eyes locked onto Sasuke's. "Even the most seemingly outrageous ideas must be taken into consideration."

Sasuke stared back. He wasn't sure if he should feel grateful or suspicious.

Itachi nodded slightly at Orochimaru. "Thank you, Inspector Reid."

Orochimaru stood up and slowly strolled around the room. "But, as Shikamaru said, we cannot prove or disprove either theory. Therefore, it is not in our best interest to attempt to do so. We should instead focus our efforts in analyzing what these proposals say about the Ripper's state of mind." He paused when he reached the door. "It would be best if this was done individually, and then we shall adjoin later, let's say at 12:00, to discuss it further. You are all dismissed."

And with that Orochimaru left. Kakashi and Shikamaru glanced at each other, shrugged, then bade the brothers goodbye and also departed. Sasuke and Itachi didn't leave immediately.

"That went well, Sasuke," Itachi remarked, gathering his materials.

"I suppose…" Sasuke absently flipped through his notes.

Itachi observed him. What's the matter, little brother?"

"Nothing…"

"Sasuke," Itachi said with a small smile, "I know you better than that."

Sasuke frowned. "It's just Orochimaru…I don't completely trust him."

Itachi regarded him curiously for a moment. "Let me tell you something, Sasuke. Orochimaru is not a kind man. Nor is he friendly, fair, or entirely honest. But there is one thing I can say about him: he's good at what he does. He's one of the lead inspectors in the country, and he rarely closes a case unsolved. So if you can't trust him, then trust his reputation."

Sasuke nodded. "Alright…but only because you said it."

Itachi offered a rare grin. "Come on," he said. "Let's go get some coffee."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_12:00 AM_

The brothers returned to the meeting room at 12:00 sharp, Sasuke eagerly leading the way, to find Shikamaru and Kakashi already sitting down. "Twelve o'clock exactly," Kakashi remarked, glancing at his watch. "Your timing is impeccable as always, Itachi."

Itachi smirked. "As is yours, Kakashi."

Sasuke glanced around. "Has Orochimaru gotten here yet?" he asked, thinking that perhaps the inspector had left to fetch a cup of coffee. Before Kakashi or Shikamaru could answer, however, the door opened and Kabuto silently slipped in.

"Mr. Reid sent me with a message and his deepest apology," Kabuto began, glancing around at each of them. "Something urgent came up shortly before you all arrived, and Mr. Reid was forced to leave. He informed me to tell you that he will reschedule the meeting for another time and notify each of you." With one last friendly glance in Sasuke's direction, Kabuto withdrew from the room.

"Ahh geez," Shikamaru complained when Kabuto left. "How troublesome."

"Well, at least it gives us more time to think it through," Kakashi offered. Shikamaru merely grunted in response. "There's no use hanging around here now, so I'm out. I'll talk to you three later." With a wave Kakashi was gone.

Shikamaru grumbled some more as he exited the room, leaving Sasuke and Itachi yet again. Sasuke nonchalantly glanced at his brother. "Well that's convenient for Orochimaru, isn't it?"

Itachi sighed; he knew where this was going. "Orochimaru is a busy man, Sasuke. It's not unusual for urgent business to arise."

Sasuke shrugged. "I'm just saying."

Itachi sighed again. "Oh stubborn little brother of mine…"

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Wednesday passed uneventfully, and Thursday inched along the same way until late in the afternoon, when they were all finally summoned to a meeting. Sasuke, who was growing impatient and suspicious, was the first one there. The others arrived shortly after him, and about ten minutes after the meeting was scheduled to start Kabuto appeared, offering the same apology and saying something had come up. Sasuke stared stubbornly at his brother while Itachi remained outwardly unshaken.

Friday rolled by and Saturday came, when another meeting was scheduled. A few hours before the time of the meeting, however, the inspectors were called upon to investigate a mysterious but non-Ripper related murder, and another rain check was made.

Sasuke was on the verge of confronting Orochimaru about these "coincidences" when Tuesday landed with a loud splat. In responding to an urgent summons, Sasuke and Itachi arrived at the headquarters to be confronted with the horrified, pale face of Kankuro Lusk clutching a letter and a box tightly in his trembling fists.

"Just take it," he said with a shaky voice, thrusting the box and letter into Orochimaru's outstretched hand. "I've seen enough." With that Kankuro left, glancing quickly at Sasuke before forcing his gaze to the ground and leaving.

Orochimaru stared at the items curiously as he made observations. "It was postmarked yesterday on the fifteenth and addressed to Kankuro Lusk…You may read the letter for yourselves."

The letter was passed around, each man reading the same disturbing text:

From hell,

Mr Lusk

Sir

I send you half the kidne I took from one woman praserved it for you. tother piece I fried and ate it was very nise. I may send you the bloody knif that took it out if you only wate a whil longer

Catch me when

you can

Mishter Lusk.

A shiver traveled up Sasuke's spine. He didn't want that box to be opened…not now, not ever.

All eyes were on the box. Orochimaru and Itachi exchanged a silent stare before Orochimaru slowly pried it open. No one gasped or looked away in disgust, but they merely stared, appalled, not knowing what to say. What was this _thing_ that was capable of such an atrocity? A horrifically twisted man or a disturbingly normal monster?

Itachi somehow maintained his objective composure. "Temari Eddowes was missing a kidney," he observed quietly.

Orochimaru frowned as he stared down at the well-preserved organ. "Kakashi," he said, "I want you to take this down to Kabuto along with the letter. He'll know what to do."

Kakashi nodded grimly before reluctantly taking the items and quickly disappearing. Only Shikamaru, Sasuke, Itachi, and Orochimaru were left.

"Itachi, may I have a word?" Orochimaru asked quietly.

Sasuke watched the two retreat to a farther end of the room where they engaged in a calm but urgent discussion. He chewed his lip absently, never taking his eyes off them. "Shikamaru," he suddenly said, "can I ask a rhetorical question?"

"Shoot," Shikamaru replied, lighting a cigarette.

"…Are we looking for a monster in man's clothing-" he paused and spoke the next part more slowly, "-or a man in monster's clothing?"

Shikamaru took a long drag of his cigarette. "In my opinion," he said, exhaling deeply, "we're looking for a born monster that has learned the sins of man…and enjoys it."


	16. Ch 15 The Beginning of a Chain of Events

A/N: Four words: I. Love. Snow. Days! Especially when there are two in a row. ^_^

Disclaimer: If I didn't own Naruto in the last chapter, I don't think I will in this chapter either.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 15: The Beginning of a Chain of Events

Sasuke sat next to Kabuto in the meeting room, trying to but unable to prevent his eyes from continually glancing at the box and letter in front of him. As usual, Orochimaru, Itachi, Shikamaru, and Kakashi were also present. It had only taken Kabuto a little over an hour to examine the kidney, and he was about to present the results.

"Mr. Abberline," Kabuto addressed respectfully. "Your suspicions might be correct. This is indeed half a human kidney. It was preserved in spirits of wine, or ethanol."

Orochimaru crossed his fingers on the table in front of him. "So we can confirm that it's from a human being, but can we verify that it belonged to Temari Eddowes?"

Kabuto frowned and shook his head. "We can speculate, but there's no way to know for sure."

"So it could very well be a macabre hoax?" Kakashi asked.

"That's very possible. It's not that difficult to obtain a random human kidney," Kabuto said.

Shikamaru leaned back in his chair and sighed. "With that possibility, do we even have anything to work with?"

"Yes, we do," Itachi said quietly, pulling the letter toward him. "Putting the kidney aside for a moment, we need to consider the letter itself. It was addressed specifically to Kankuro Lusk, while the past two letters were simply sent to the Central News Agency. Why?"

There were a few moments of silence while they pondered Itachi's question. Shikamaru was the first to speak up. "We might as well break down the question," he said. "What gives Kankuro Lusk significance?"

"He's the chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee," Kakashi replied.

"Exactly. And why does this matter to Jack the Ripper?" Shikamaru asked.

Sasuke understood. "Kankuro Lusk is a threat to him."

Shikamaru nodded. "And what do you think our friend Jack would do to someone who poses a threat to him?"

"He would force them to get out of his way," Kakashi said. "In this case, it seems like he was trying to scare Lusk."

"Yeah, and it seemed to work. Did you see Lusk's face? It was white as snow," Shikamaru pointed out.

"No, he won't give up that easily," Sasuke objected, remembering the ardor Kankuro displayed in trying to get information from him.

"Whether it worked or not doesn't matter right now," Itachi said, stepping back into the conversation. "We know the intention of the letter, but we need to figure out the _reason_. Why does the Ripper regard Lusk as a threat? Why wasn't it addressed to Inspector Reid or me instead? _We_ are the ones heading the actual investigation, not Kankuro Lusk."

There was another silence, longer this time. Sasuke frowned. Itachi was right, it didn't really make sense. The police were more of a threat than the Vigilance Committee…weren't they?

Itachi spoke Sasuke's suspicions. "The Ripper seems to find the Vigilance Committee as more of a threat than our police force…and he's probably right."

Kakashi and Shikamaru made sounds of indignation and Orochimaru frowned. "And why would he be right, Itachi?"

Itachi's voice was calm and convincing. "Think about it. What real progress have we made since the Double Event? We've had our attention focused almost completely on the graffito, and we've had no new suspects. What reason does the Ripper have to fear us? While we've been walking in circles, the Ripper has been trying to limit his competition."

"So basically," Shikamaru said, straightening up, "we need to get our heads out of our asses and show the Ripper that he shouldn't forget about us too easily."

"That's easier said than done," Orochimaru murmured, resting his chin on his threaded fingers. "We need a lead first."

"Yes…and I think we should also set aside the graffito for now," Itachi said, avoiding Sasuke's eyes as he spoke. "I'm not dismissing its possible significance, but it's what has kept us so preoccupied. We should attempt to take a new perspective."

Sasuke's head shot up. New perspective, of course! He stood up and pushed in his chair. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

He heard Itachi excuse himself and follow Sasuke out the door. "Sasuke, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just suddenly thought of something that I have to do," Sasuke said, hoping that his smile was convincing.

Itachi observed him before nodding slowly. "Alright. I'll see you later."

Sasuke waved before exiting out into the muggy London morning. He started in a beeline down the busy main street leading away from the headquarters before suddenly slowing down. He was being too impulsive. He didn't even know where to find Kankuro Lusk. Well, he didn't know where he lived, but he did have one idea.  
Didn't Kankuro take him out to eat the first time they met? _I think I still remember where it was…_ He took a right onto a side street and followed it for awhile, training his eyes straight ahead, refusing to look at the numerous drunks and homeless littering the streets. Whitechapel needed a turnaround soon, or it would only get worse. If these immoral, unsanitary conditions remained, then another Jack the Ripper might be born.

He turned left onto another main street and spotted the café. It was a long shot that Kankuro would be there, but it was around lunchtime, so he might as well try. Sasuke pushed through the door and slowly scanned the café with his eyes – Kankuro wasn't there. Disappointment settled in his stomach at the same time that his stomach let out a low growl. Well, he was hungry. He took a seat at a table in the corner and ordered a sandwich, fruit, and coffee. He couldn't really go anywhere from here, so he might as well take a lunch break.

Sasuke was almost finished with his meal when the bell above the door jingled, signaling another customer. He glanced up in mild curiosity and nearly choked on his sandwich. Karma, God, or just pure luck, something was good to him today!

Kankuro Lusk, his posture screaming exhaustion and frustration, wandered aimlessly over to a table on the opposite side of the room. Sasuke picked up his plates and mug, balancing them precariously on his arms, and slowly made his way over to Kankuro. He seemed surprised when Sasuke sat down.

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?"

"I originally came here to find you," Sasuke replied, slipping his notebook out of his vest.

There was a noticeable flicker of interest in Kankuro's eyes as he glanced at the notebook. "And why were you looking for me?"

"First, I need to ask you if you've uncovered anything regarding the Ripper case."

Kankuro smirked. "Ah, so now you're interested in sharing information?"

Sasuke bit back his reply. "It's important. The Ripper sent you that…present…personally, so he obviously regards you as a threat, and I want to know why."

Kankuro's mouth twisted into an ugly frown at the mention of the letter. "…No.  
We haven't discovered anything that would be of any use." He glared at Sasuke accusingly. "That's why I was hoping _you_ would come around."

Sasuke's hands unintentionally clenched on his notebook. He already made his decision – now, he just had to go through with it. "I have a proposal for you," he began slowly.

Kankuro smirked into his coffee mug. "You have my unwavering attention."

Sasuke chewed his lip uncomfortably. _I'm just trying to help you, Itachi._ "You probably know about the Goulsten Street graffito."

"Of course."

"Well, we've been working on two possible interpretations of it. I want you to look at them and tell me what you can make of them. Are they plausible or not? Do you have anything to add to them? I want to see if you can find something that we couldn't."

A wide grin spread across Kankuro's falsely pleasant face. "Why of course, Sasuke, I would be honored – "

"Not so fast," Sasuke said firmly. "I'm not giving you unlimited control. There are rules."

Kankuro sighed dramatically. "Which are?"

"First, you need to know that these are _theories_, nothing more. Don't be under the assumption that we've officially confirmed these. Second, this is meant for _your_ eyes _only_. Don't share this with anyone," Sasuke emphasized, staring Kankuro directly in the eyes. "Finally, I want these back the moment you're done with them. They're not yours to keep."

"Alright, alright, I'll agree to your rules, Sasuke. But I must ask…" He adopted a strange smile that Sasuke didn't like one bit. "Does your older brother know about our little exchange?'

Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously. "That's none of your business."

The strange smile vanished and was replaced with a chuckle. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to step on any tails. If this is off the record, then that's not a problem with me. I'm just pleased that you're finally starting to trust me."

Sasuke's hostile glare faltered and for a moment he was indecisive. "Just remember what I told you," he said in what he hoped was a commanding voice. He slowly ripped out the pages in his notebook and set them on the table in front of Kankuro. Then, after one more firm glare, he stood up and left.

Leaning against the wall outside of the café, Sasuke inhaled and exhaled deeply. _No harm should come of this, as long as Kankuro keeps his word_._ It will even be good if he can find something we couldn't. Then I might be closer to helping you, Sakura…_

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_10:30 PM_

There were three knocks on his door, quiet and precise. The brawny man, curious as to who would be coming to his door so late at night, laid down his book and got up to open it. He was surprised but not displeased at who he saw.

"Hey! What brings you here so late?" The slim man ignored him and coldly slipped past him into the large room. "What's the matter?"

"You are," the slim man hissed, his usually calm demeanor unraveled. "I see you're enjoying yourself with your book and your expensive wine?"

The brawny man seemed taken aback by the other's hostility. "Well, I'm in a good mood. I was just celebrating – "

"Celebrating what?" the slim man snapped. "Celebrating that Abberline is no longer on the wrong track because of your foolish prank?"

The brawny man frowned. "Well, did you really expect the graffito would deceive him forever? Besides, I was only trying to scare Lusk away. It's not safe for me with his Committee members strolling around at night."

The slim man sighed in frustration and shook his head. "You should've let me handle Lusk. I could've gotten him to back off without so much risk."

"Do the police have a lead now?" the brawny man asked.

"No, they don't have a lead, thankfully. But Abberline is smart. He'll pull something from this…or his foolish little brother will."

The brawny man's eyes flashed angrily. "Do they need to be taken care of?"

Frowning, the slim man shook his head. "No, if you kill them there will be too much suspicion…but there is another way." His eyes flickered up to meet the confused gaze of the brawny man. "There is a way to get the Abberline brothers out of the way without killing them…but we must wait. After your little stunt, we have to let more time pass before we can put this plan into action."

The brawny man nodded. "Alright…but we have to do it before November 9th."

The slim man looked at the other questioningly. "Why before then?"

There was both anger and despair in his voice as the brawny man answered, "Because that's when I'll take Sakura Kelly's life."


	17. Ch 16 Consequences xOne Down, One to Gox

A/N: Spring Break starts today! Huzzah! I'm not really going anywhere, but I'll enjoy lounging at home, catching up on my hobbies. :) As always, constructive criticism is welcomed, and I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 16: Consequences (One Down, One to Go)

_Sunday, 21 October 1888 – 10:00 AM_

Sasuke groaned sleepily and rolled over to face his bedside table. He slapped his hand around the wood randomly until he felt his watch. Cracking his heavy eyelids open, he stared at the time: 10:00 AM. He slept pretty late, so why was he so tired? He rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Today would be the fifth day of Kankuro holding his precious theories. How much more time would he need? "I'll go get them back later today," Sasuke mumbled to himself.

Forcing himself to get out of bed, he pulled socks on to protect his feet from the cold floor and made his way down to the kitchen. On his way he passed Naruto's room, from which loud snores were emanating. Apparently the idiot was sleeping late, too. When he got to the kitchen he saw Itachi, dressed and ready as usual, sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. The Sunday newspaper was lying in front of him with the front page displayed. Sasuke thought that was strange; Itachi would've surely gotten farther than that already.

"Anything interesting?" he asked, pulling up a chair across from his brother.

When Itachi looked up, his face was stony. Something was wrong. He wordlessly pushed the paper toward Sasuke.

Sasuke read the title smacked across the top in big, bold letters and he felt the sick sensation of his stomach flying up into his chest. 'THE MYSTERY OF THE RIPPER'S GRAFFITO FINALLY SOLVED' it read. He risked a glance at Itachi; the stony expression hadn't changed. Sasuke returned to the article that dominated the front page and read it slowly and carefully:

_Dozens of Whitechapel residents stare in horror at the ominous white chalk lines on the wall. Right after the Double Event, the Ripper leaves a message for all to see. 'The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing.' Many have speculated as to what the message means. Is it a threat, a warning, or simply a hateful statement? No one has known, up until now. Chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, Kankuro Lusk, has come out with a statement that may provide some answers._

_Lusk has stated that the police have had possible answers to the conundrum for awhile now, but haven't informed the public or at the very least the committee. "I believe that everyone needs to know this information," Lusk said. "We won't catch the Ripper any faster if the police are keeping everything to themselves."_

_Lusk claimed that he obtained police papers from the Ripper investigation and that on these papers are theories that Detective Abberline and the squad have been keeping in the dark. One of these theories is that 'Juwes' refers to Jubela, Jubelo, and Jubellum, the killers of the Freemason Hiram Abiff. A dark Masonic plot could possibly be the meaning behind the twisted graffito._

_The second theory is that hidden within the letters of the graffito is a secret message. After some word play, the police apparently came up with 'Bewore whores the jugment of menn, blatant tiill deathh.' _

_Lusk hopes that now that this information has come to light, they will be one step closer to catching the Ripper. "If the police could only learn to cooperate, we'd have caught him weeks ago!"_

Sasuke swallowed hard and looked up at Itachi, who was watching him silently. "I'm sorry, Itachi, I'm so sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen – "

"Sasuke," Itachi interrupted, asking him calmly, "did you give that information to Kankuro Lusk?"

Sasuke wanted to look down, hide his guilty face, but he knew Itachi wouldn't like that. Instead he faced Itachi and tried to portray all his regret. "Yes, but he was never supposed to do this. All he was supposed to do was look at the papers and tell me if he found any insights that we didn't. I _told_ him to keep it to himself and to not hold it as an absolute fact. I'm sorry Itachi; this was never supposed to happen. I was only trying to help."

Itachi merely nodded, but didn't say a word. The emotionless expression plastered on his face hadn't changed and Sasuke hated it. He hated it when Itachi closed up like this and his thoughts were hidden.

"I understand if you're angry at me," Sasuke said, clenching his fists on the table. "I messed up. I ruined the reputation of you and the police force, and I probably gave the Ripper a good laugh. But please, Itachi, say _something_! Yell at me, chastise me, hit me, just do something!"

But Itachi only stared. Sasuke sighed and bowed his head. _God, why do I have to be so _stupid_?_

"This does not only involve me and you," Itachi finally said. "Everyone else involved in this case had probably read the papers, too, and they are also affected. You shouldn't be apologizing directly to me."

Sasuke bit his lip and nodded. "We should go to the headquarters." That was of course the last thing he wanted to do – hiding his shame buried under the covers within the safety of his room was much more preferable – but he had to accept the consequences of his actions.

After Sasuke got dressed and ready the brothers started off through the cold fall morning toward the headquarters. It was the most awkward and nerve-wracking walk of his life. Somehow, Itachi managed to make him feel like a traitor without saying a word. It only became worse when they reached the headquarters. Sasuke felt like he didn't deserve to walk through the doors, and especially not to walk among them as a familiar and friendly face. They reached Orochimaru's office, where Orochimaru, Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Kabuto were discussing something heatedly. It took all the courage Sasuke possessed to force his two feet to walk through that door.

As Sasuke and Itachi entered, it became deathly quiet. The eyes that watched them weren't necessarily accusing, just questioning. Sasuke swallowed hard.

"I assume you've read the paper?" Orochimaru asked icily.

Itachi nodded. "I have," he replied. He then glanced at Sasuke, silently telling him it was his turn.

With great effort Sasuke ripped his gaze from the floor and forced himself to look into the eyes of the people he betrayed. "It's my fault that Kankuro got a hold of the information…but he wasn't supposed to do this."

Orochimaru bore down on him with stony eyes. "And why, pray tell, did you give him that information, Sasuke? I don't recall giving you permission to skip around and freely hand out restricted information."

The urge to defend himself bubbled up, but Sasuke forced it down. He knew that he was to blame. "No, you didn't. I was wrong to give Lusk that information. I only did it because I thought he could help. I realize now that Itachi was right; Lusk is more concerned with publicity that with actually catching the Ripper. But Lusk, no matter how devious he is, is also intelligent. I just thought he could find something we couldn't. I just…I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Kakashi's and Shikamaru's expressions were difficult to read. They seemed conflicted between irritation and sympathy. Kabuto's face was even more of a blank slate, which bothered Sasuke to no end. He could barely deal with Itachi's stoicism; he didn't need everyone else doing it, too.

Orochimaru may have pissed him off, but at least he didn't beat around the bush. "Regardless of your intentions, your actions were impulsive and unjustified," Orochimaru said coldly. "Do you realize what you've done? Not only have you made me, your brother, and this entire task force look like fools," he said, gesturing to those around him, "but you've also discredited us. You allowed Lusk to spread information that was not confirmed, and now the public thinks these theories are valid. Jack the Ripper must be mocking us now," he finished snidely.

As much as he wanted to, Sasuke didn't look down once the entire time Orochimaru was reprimanding him. He refused to flinch. "You're right," he acknowledged once Orochimaru finished. "I'll accept the consequences for my decision. Just tell me."

He felt Itachi tense behind him. "Perhaps we should discuss the punishment in my office first," he suggested.

Orochimaru turned his glare upon Itachi. "Sasuke is an adult, Itachi; there's no need for you to try to soften the blow. No, I will tell him the consequences now." He directed his gaze back to Sasuke. "Sasuke, you will no longer be the recorder of this case. You will leave your notes with me, and everyone involved in this case is prohibited from telling you anything that you can't find out from the newspapers. I do not want you to return to headquarters unless you have a valid reason for doing so. Am I clear?"

A wave of regret and helplessness swept over Sasuke as he looked around at faces that refused to look back at him. He finally settled for looking into Orochimaru's expectant eyes. "Yes," he said weakly, "I understand."

Orochimaru seemed satisfied. "Good. Now, your notebook."

For a moment, Sasuke was frozen. He felt the comfortable weight of the notebook against his chest, and it was hard to imagine it not being there. Forcing himself to snap out of his paralysis, he slowly reached into his shirt and pulled out the well-used black notebook. He could feel Orochimaru's impatience, but it was hard to part with it. These pages were the reason Sasuke was even back in this God-forsaken place; the reason he was friends with Naruto again; the reason he was able to see Sakura again…

"Sasuke," Orochimaru said sharply. "Hand it over."

Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, Sasuke held the notebook out in what seemed like slow motion. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do in his life. It felt like he was handing over a chunk of his life…and then Orochimaru snatched it from his fingers and everything was normal speed again. "Thank you," Orochimaru snapped. "Now, Kabuto, please show Sasuke to the door. When you return, we'll decide how to clear this mess up."

It was quiet as Sasuke left. He was ashamed, and he hoped that the others knew that; however, he was not about to break down in front of Orochimaru. He offered apologetic looks to Shikamaru, Kakashi, and Itachi, before turning slowly and following Kabuto out.

Kabuto stepped outside with him and silently led him down the steps. Sasuke stopped at the bottom and drew a deep breath. "I messed up big time, didn't I?" he mumbled, shivering slightly in the October chill.

Kabuto glanced at him then turned to observe the many people skittering around the busy street. "Yes, you made a mistake," Kabuto admitted. "But it's not the worst thing you could do."

Sasuke chuckled lightly, but it didn't make him feel any better. "That's true." There were a few moments of silence in which they both pretended to watch the people go about their lives, but neither of them was interested in the lives of others at the moment. "I'm sorry," Sasuke eventually said. "I really am."

It was Kabuto's turn to chuckle. "No need to say it – it's pretty obvious how you feel from the look on your face."

Sasuke half-heartedly scowled. "I don't feel like arguing with you right now. Anyways, you should probably get back. Orochimaru's waiting on you to unleash his grand 'fix-Sasuke's-disaster' plan."

Kabuto smiled and started walking up the stairs. "You should visit your parents today," he said, pausing. "It would be a good place to think. Anyways, take care, Sasuke."

"Same to you."

Then Kabuto disappeared back into the building and Sasuke was alone. He started walking. Everything was so quiet; the streets were packed with bustling people, but the world seemed to be set to mute. The people and the birds moved in sluggish slow motion, everything except for Sasuke. He started running. Anywhere, anything to escape the overwhelming _silence. _He just couldn't bear it, not one second longer. The sky itself seemed to be boring into him with a quiet, cold glare.

His breathing quickened until he was nearly hyperventilating, and he pushed his leg muscles to their limits until they were burning with the sudden exertion. The bland, gray buildings rushed by ominously; he needed to get away from civilization. That was all he wanted right now, and he found himself quickly approaching the familiar grassy landscape of the graveyard.

Sasuke was able to maintain his composure until he reached his parents' graves. He fell to his knees in front of the two tombstones and released a frustrated sob, clenching his fists in the grass. "Why am I so fucking stupid?" he choked out angrily. "First, I drove away Sakura by being too damned suffocating, and then I couldn't swallow my pride, and now I've betrayed Itachi and everyone else. I can't even help out with the case anymore. How the hell am I supposed to help Sakura now?" He wiped his wet cheeks roughly. "Great, now I'm crying. Itachi would be ashamed. Why am I so _weak_?"

When his parents' tombstones gave him no reply but merely looked on him sympathetically, he began to sob harder. Scooting closer, he rested his forehead on his mother's headstone. "I need you right now, mom," he whispered shakily. "I can't deal with this on my own."

The cool, smooth stone was comforting, just like his mother had always been. He could almost pretend like the cool breeze swirling around his torso was her embracing arms, and the grass looped over his fingers was her gentle hands. After a certain amount of time (he wasn't sure how much), Sasuke was calmed down to the point where he was no longer crying and he was thinking clearly. He slowly sat back and unthreaded his fingers from the bruised earth.

His mother always knew what was best. He didn't have to deal with his on his own. Instead of trying so desperately to help Sakura, it was about time he swallowed his pride and let Sakura help him.


	18. Ch 17 The Framing of Itachi Abberline

A/N: Wow, I think this is the quickest I've gotten two chapters out in awhile. I'm proud of myself. :) Anyways, my story is sadly approaching its end. It won't be long now. But I'll just enjoy it while I can. Constructive criticism is welcomed, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 17: The Framing of Itachi Abberline

_3:00 PM_

Sasuke hesitantly knocked on Sakura's door. He hadn't seen her since the day she found the threatening note on her door; it had been awhile. He hoped she was home. _Home_, Sasuke thought bitterly, _what poor word choice. This place is no home._ He heard clinking metal as Sakura unlocked the door. Her bright green eye appeared in the crack of the door, quickly scanning his face. Once she realized it was him she flung open the door and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, Sasuke," she muttered by his ear, squeezing him tightly. "I've missed you."

The feel of her warm skin and flowery scent of her hair calmed him. He breathed deeply and held her close. "I've missed you, too, Sakura. You have no idea."

After a few moments they released each other and, smiling slightly, Sakura led him inside. He watched as she locked the door and noticed that there were two more extra locks. He hated the fact that she needed them, but at least she was a little more protected…although he knew that locks wouldn't stop Jack the Ripper.

"How have you been?" Sasuke asked, sitting on the bed. There were bags under her eyes – she looked exhausted. "Oh wait, that was a stupid question."

Sakura smiled tiredly. "At least you care enough to ask." She sat next to him on the bed and leaned her back against the wall. "Well, it could be worse. Nothing has really happened to me – I'm physically fine – it's just the idea that something _could_ happen that's been torturing me. I've been so paranoid, it's nearly impossible for me to get a decent night's sleep. I don't know how much longer I can deal with this…"

Sasuke desperately wanted to reassure her, wanted to tell her that he would catch this psychopath soon, but he couldn't. He didn't want to lie to her. What position was he in to promise anything? He wasn't even on the task force anymore.

Sakura seemed to sense his hesitancy because she looked at him curiously. "Sasuke, are you alright? What's happened?"

Running a hand through his thick hair, Sasuke released a long whoosh of breath. "I'm so stupid, Sakura," he began. "You have no idea what I've done."

She frowned and gently took his hand. "Tell me."

Not holding anything back, Sasuke recanted everything, from finally translating the graffito to being kicked off the task force. As he talked his emotions were all over the place; excitement, frustration, depression, hopelessness, everything. Sakura listened patiently the entire time, not interrupting him once. He had to judge what she was thinking from her changing facial expressions.

When he finally finished he felt relieved. He wasn't happy – there was too much wrong to be happy – but he was relieved. Finally, he shared it with someone who could actually respond.

Sakura's eyes were flooded with sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Sasuke. I know how important it is for you to be on that task force with Itachi."

Sasuke gently held both her hands. "You think that's why I'm upset? Sakura, I hate myself for my stupid decision because I promised you I would keep you safe. How can I do that now that I'm cut off from all information regarding the case? I let you down, and I'll never forgive myself for that."

Sakura surprised him by laughing. "Sasuke, do you really think you can't protect me just because you have a lack of information?" She leaned forward and kissed him softly. "You have no idea how much safer I feel just because you're with me now. I know that losing your position on the task force won't stop you from doing everything in your power to protect me. You're too stubborn, just like Naruto."

Her laughter was contagious; Sasuke couldn't stop the small grin that was slowly forming on his face. He caressed her smooth cheek slowly. "You're right, Sakura. That won't stop me. I won't promise that I'll single-handedly catch the Ripper…but I do promise that if he lays a single finger on you, I will kill him."

And then he kissed her.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Wednesday, 1 November 1888 – 1:00 AM_

Their breaths puffed out in visible clouds as the two men quietly strode through the still night. Dim gas lamps attempted to throw light on the cobblestone streets, but the thick London fog enveloped the lamps and, like an exotic snake, effectively suffocated them. But that was no matter – the slim man knew where he was going. As he led the way, the stout man made sure to thoroughly scan the shadows; it would be no good if a policeman were to see them…

When they reached their destination, they found themselves in the deepest, most resented corner of London. Stray dogs refused to enter here because the stench was too strong for their sensitive noses. Prostitutes and beggars stayed far away, because they were not yet pitiful enough to end up like _him_.

He – the only living creature in this forgotten armpit of London – was a drunk, homeless, and unemployed man. Now, this type of person was not unusual in the East End; there were hundreds of them. However, this man was different. His name was John Randall, and everyone knew this name. Every parent used him as an example; whatever you do, do _not_ end up like him, they instructed their children.

The thing about John Randall was that he had been in that situation his entire life. He was born in the filthy slums of Whitechapel and he would die there, too. He never worked a day in his life; never had a man to call a friend or a woman to call a lover. Even his own mother abandoned him. No one knew how he got through each day. His daily routine: wake up, drink booze if he could find some, scavenge for food scraps, avoid human contact, sleep.

John Randall was just the type of miserable wretch that the two men needed.

When they found him, he was passed out in a drunken stupor and curled up in a filthy corner. The slim man approached him with an undisguised look of disgust. "Get up, John Randall," he sneered. "I have a proposition for you."

John emitted something akin to a groan and slowly rolled over to face them. "What do you want?" he asked in a deep, gravelly voice.

"Tell me," the slim man drawled, "how heavy is your conscience?"

John's ugly face scrunched up in obvious confusion. "Not very," he replied.

The slim man nodded. "Good. Now answer this – if you were to witness a murder, could you lie through your teeth and condemn an innocent man?"

The pathetic man started to show some realization. "Perhaps," he said. "That would depend on whether someone could persuade me."

The slim man nodded toward the stout man, who brought out an expensive bottle of brandy and handed it to John. The vagrant snatched it greedily and immediately uncorked it. As he guzzled it down, small streams of brandy trickled through his facial hair. The slim man made no attempt to restrain his disgust.

"This is a fine offering, gentlemen," John mumbled between drinks. "But it's not enough to convince me to lie to the police."

"Of course it isn't," the slim man replied. "That's not all. If you do this for me, your reward will be three times that. You will receive it after you finish your task."

John's squinty eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You expect me to trust you?"

The slim man laughed raspily. "Expect you to? No. But you need not fear. You've seen my face; if I don't hold true to our agreement, you can easily report me to the police. I won't risk that."

John hesitated another moment before nodding slowly. "Alright, you've got a deal. What do you want me to do?"

The slim man handed John a small slip of paper. "Be at that address in two hours, at 3:00 AM. That is where the murder will take place. I don't care what or who you see – after a man leaves the building, I want you to immediately report to the police station. Once there, tell them that you witnessed a murder at that address. When asked to describe the murderer, you _must_ say that he has long, black hair kept in a ponytail, black eyes, and a distinctive circular metal object on his shirt. He is slim, about 5'8 or 5'9 feet tall, and young, in his early twenties. It is imperative that you give that exact description."

John Randall nodded slowly as he processed the information. "But what if I'm asked to identify him in a row of suspects?"

"You won't be," the slim man said firmly. "Do you understand everything perfectly?"

John nodded. "Yup. And make sure you don't forget about my booze!" The slim man and the stout man left John staring after them uncertainly.

After these next few hours, the last Abberline would be out of the way.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_4:30 AM_

Kakashi pulled up a chair at the small wooden desk. He was the first to arrive at the headquarters. After the witness appeared at the station, the single night policeman in charge flagged down another policeman patrolling the streets on his round. This policeman was sent to notify the inspectors while the original policeman stayed with the witness. Since Kakashi lived the closest, he was notified first.

The witness, who name he discovered was John Randall, was sitting across from him. Kakashi prided himself in refraining from judging people, but he couldn't restrain the thought that this man was an absolute wreck. He'd heard of John Randall before, of course, but he'd never seen him until now. The man was pathetic.

Kakashi coughed and leaned forward, trying to banish his judgments. "So Mr. Randall, you've claimed that you witnessed a murder. First, and most importantly, I need you to please tell me where and when this occurred."

John leaned back and lazily crossed his arms. "125 Burough Road about, ehh, 3:00 AM," he replied roughly.

Kakashi nodded to the policeman standing behind him. "I want you to get Inspector Abberline, Reid, or Andrews and report to that address immediately." He waited until the policeman left before turning back to John. "Please tell me the entire story and don't leave any details out, no matter how insignificant."

John cleared his throat noisily. "Around about 3:00 AM I was digging through the trash outside of that house, because I couldn't find anything good in my area and I hadn't had a full meal in days. Anyways, I saw a man come up to the door and knock. He was standing in the light of the lamp for awhile waiting for the door to be opened, so I got a good look at him. He was tall, about 5'8 or 5'9, and he was young, too. I'd say early twenties, only a few years younger than you. He had long, black hair pulled back in a ponytail, and black eyes, too. He was also wearing a strange, circular metal thing on his shirt.

"Anyways, eventually the owner of the house came down and opened the door. I couldn't see him well because I was off to the side in the shadows and he stayed in his house. But from the way he talked he seemed confused and tired. I didn't understand what he said, but the black-haired guy said he had to talk about something important. The guy in the house let him in, and I didn't see either of them for another twenty minutes. I was still digging through the trash when I heard a strangled scream, and a few minutes later the black-haired guy left, but there was no sign of the owner of the house. The black-haired guy never saw me, so once he was far away I ran to the police station. And that's about it."

Kakashi sat frozen. He barely heard the last things John said; he was too preoccupied with the first part of his story. _His description of the murderer sounds exactly like Itachi…what the hell is this?_ Then something dawned on Kakashi. He slowly unclipped his circular, silver inspector's badge and showed it to John. "Do you think this could be what the murderer was wearing?"

John stared at it for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Yep, that could be it," he confirmed in a gravelly voice.

Kakashi's heart dropped into his stomach. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. But before he could say anything one of the policeman from before burst into the room. "Inspector Moore," he panted, pausing to regain his breath. There was a look of urgency and slight horror on his face. "We've identified the victim."

"Well who is it?" Kakashi urged.

"The murdered man is Kankuro Lusk."


	19. Ch 18 The Missing Link

A/N: So now that it's summer, my goal is to finish _Ashes, Ashes_. –crosses fingers- I'll try my best haha. But before I write the last few chapters, I'll have to go back and reread the entire thing to make sure I tie up all the loose ends. Enjoy this chapter, and thank you all who have stuck with this story even when my updates are few and far between! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 18: The Missing Link

_8:00 AM_

Sasuke roughly shoved through the crowds of journalists and civilians cluttering the stairs of the headquarters, cursing loudly. "Get the hell out of my way!" he snapped, fighting his way to the large doors. Kabuto, the bearer of bad news, followed solemnly behind him. Sasuke was halted when he reached the line of policemen guarding the door.

"No civilians are allowed inside," one of the policemen said gruffly.

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort before Kabuto stepped up, brandishing his identification. "He's with me."

"Alright, go quickly," the policeman grumbled. The line parted to let Sasuke and Kabuto through and snapped shut like a rat trap as soon as they crossed. This caused the crowd of people to become more rowdy and the yelling intensified. Sasuke gritted his teeth against the noise until they both slipped inside the door and into the relative quiet.

"Where is he?" Sasuke demanded. Kabuto led him to the rear of the headquarters where the small temporary holding cells were located. Kakashi was sitting in a chair next to one, speaking quietly to the occupant. He looked up when Sasuke and Kabuto entered.

"Sasuke," Kakashi began slowly. He seemed as if he was about to say something else, perhaps a justification of the situation or comforting words, but the enraged look on Sasuke's face made him think better of it. He stepped aside to let Sasuke face the cell.

"Itachi!" Sasuke grasped the rusted bars of the cell and stared inside. Itachi was sitting on the small bunk next to the barred window. Although he hadn't been detained for that long, his shoulders were slumped and there were bags under his eyes. Itachi looked up and smiled tiredly. "Hello, Sasuke."

" 'Hello?' What the hell is going on?" Sasuke demanded angrily. "Why are you in here?"

Itachi exchanged a glance with Kakashi before turning toward Sasuke. "Kankuro Lusk was murdered early this morning. The witness, John Randall, gave a description of the murderer that matches mine exactly.

Sasuke eyes widened and his grip on the bars slackened. "What? Kankuro is dead?" he asked breathlessly. "But how did Randall accuse you? You're the best inspector in London, you wouldn't kill anyone."

Itachi looked at Sasuke calmly. "Being an inspector doesn't make me incapable of murder, Sasuke. Randall identified me as the murderer when I walked into the headquarters."

"But…what…" Sasuke clumsily felt for the seat and sat down. "This doesn't make any sense. The murder occurred early in the morning, so you were sleeping like me at Iruka's. And everyone knows that you wouldn't kill anyone, especially not Kankuro. This is ridiculous."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken," Itachi said gently. "In the middle of the night I had a nightmare and after that sleep eluded me, so I dressed and went outside to take a walk and clear my head. I have no alibi, which places me under more suspicion. And, in actuality, I have a better motive than anyone to kill Lusk because of the recent fiasco."

Sasuke stammered unintelligibly for a few moments, biting his lip in frustration. "But Itachi, this is so – I don't understand how – don't you see – "

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I know this must be frustrating for you."

Something inside Sasuke snapped. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you incriminating yourself like that? You know you didn't kill Lusk!"

"You're right," Itachi said with an unreadable expression on his face. "I know I didn't kill Lusk."

Sasuke anger deflated and hopelessness flooded in. "Then why…"

"Because I'm exhausted, Sasuke," Itachi replied, exhaling a shaky breath. "I know I've been framed. I don't know who did it, but it's obviously someone who wants me out of the way. And they've done a good job at it. The suspicion placed against me is justified; with a witness testimony and no alibi, it doesn't look good for me. But I'm too tired to fight, Sasuke, you don't know how tired I am."

Sasuke sat in awe, staring into his brother's charcoal eyes with disbelief. "So you're giving up? The great Inspector Itachi Abberline who can solve any case isn't even going to try and solve his own framing? That's pathetic!" Sasuke snarled. "You're just going to sit by and let your supposed friends convict you for a murder you didn't commit?"

Kakashi looked down guiltily. Itachi sighed and glanced at him. "Kakashi, Kabuto, please give us a few minutes." The two men left and Itachi turned to Sasuke. "Neither Kakashi or Shikamaru are going to convict me, Sasuke. They are going to do everything they can to find the real murderer. And I am not giving up; if I gave up, I would surrender all hope. But I'm not giving up hope; I'm merely stepping out of the fight and letting someone more intelligent and skilled handle it." Itachi held Sasuke's eyes in a serious gaze. "My liberation depends on you, Sasuke."

Sasuke leaned back, his eyes widening. "What do you mean?"

"I don't think the man who killed Kankuro is a stranger to us. Who else would want me out of the way so badly that he would murder someone to do it?"

Sasuke's breath hitched. "Jack the Ripper."

Itachi nodded grimly. "This is not a separate investigation but a mere extension to the Ripper case. Sasuke, I have worked harder on this case than I have on anything in my life, but there's something I keep missing, and I don't believe I'll ever find it. I've given everything I can to this case, and it's time I step out. But you can figure this out, Sasuke. I know you can find what seems to be eluding me."

Sasuke held Itachi's gaze for a little longer before directing his stare to the ground. "You know I'm not allowed to be involved with this anymore, Itachi. Orochimaru won't allow it."

"Did I say you have to work with the task force? You're perfectly capable of doing this on your own."

"How? I won't have access to any of the reports or evidence or anything."

"You don't need any of that. Everything you need," Itachi said, gently running his fingers through Sasuke's hair and gripping the side of his head, "is right here. Like I said, you're only missing one key thing, and you can't find it in the crime scene reports. There is something deeply personal about all this; I just don't know what it is."

Sasuke covered Itachi's hand with his and fought off the feeling of helplessness. "I don't know how to find it, Itachi. What am I supposed to do?"

Itachi smiled sadly and pulled his hand away. "That, little brother, is what I can't help you with. I'm sorry that you have to carry this responsibility, but there's no one else who can do this. I believe in you, Sasuke – you just need to believe in yourself."

Sasuke refused to tear his gaze away from Itachi's even when the door opened and Kakashi entered. "Itachi, Inspector Reid wants to speak with you."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Sasuke reached through the bars and grasped Itachi's hand tightly. "I'll do everything I can to catch this guy and prove your innocence," he said determinedly.

Itachi smiled tiredly. "I know you will. But please hurry, Sasuke. There's not much time left…"

And then Sasuke tore himself away, forcing himself to walk away from his brother as the snake slithered past him and into its den.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Kabuto was waiting for him outside the door. He quietly led Sasuke out a back door with no crowds of people and didn't speak until it shut behind them. "What will you do now?" he asked.

Sasuke gazed up at the cloudy sky and crossed his arms against the bitter cold. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I need to find the final puzzle piece that Itachi is missing. I just don't know where to look."

Kabuto nodded and stared at the sky alongside him. "Well, whenever I need a place to begin, I just start walking. My feet take me where my mind needs to go."

Looking at Kabuto, Sasuke remembered how he ended up at the graveyard after the Kankuro fiasco. "You're right. I know where to go now. Thank you, Kabuto."

Kabuto smiled. "I wish you luck, Sasuke, because God knows you'll need it."

Sasuke smirked. "Is that supposed to be reassuring?"

"I guess not," Kabuto chuckled. "But seriously, Sasuke, be careful. Itachi will be fine for now. It's _you_ that you need to worry about. Jack the Ripper isn't afraid to hurt those who get in his way."

"I know," Sasuke replied, frowning. "I'll be careful. It's Sakura that I worry about…"

"I'll keep an eye on her. You just focus on figuring this out."

Sasuke smiled. "That's more reassuring. Thank you." He shuffled his feet against the chill. "I need to go. There are a couple people I need to talk to."

Kabuto nodded. "Be careful."

"I will." Sasuke waved. "Bye, Kabuto."

"Goodbye, Sasuke."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_11:00 AM_

The cold November sky had shrugged off its depressing coat of clouds, revealing a calm gray composure underneath. Sasuke sat wedged between his parents' graves, exhaling a deep breath as he stared up into that gray sky. It was perfectly smooth and featureless, like the sphere of a snow globe, and Sasuke couldn't help thinking that he, along with the rest of Whitechapel, was trapped in a snow globe. Except instead of a happy sledding snowman posing under falling flakes of snow, there was a tall, dark figure with a top hat and a knife relishing the drops of blood pouring down on him.

Sasuke shivered, though it wasn't from the cold this time. "I suddenly have a lot of responsibility dumped on me, mom. Itachi basically told me that I have to solve this case single-handedly, and we both know how well that's worked out for me in the past." He sighed. "The good news is Itachi has pretty much found all the information, so I don't need to do any more researching. I just need to piece it all together by finding this one missing link…which, unfortunately, is the hard part."

Shifting his position, Sasuke looked at his father's grave. "What would you do, dad?" he whispered, tracing the worn letters of his father's name with his fingers. "I'm trying to remember what you always used to say to us…" A memory flashed through Sasuke's mind. His father stood above him, frowning, as a younger Sasuke tried to figure out the killer in an interactive mystery novel. _It's not all about the present, Sasuke,_ his father had said. _You'll never solve a case if you only look at the things that have just happened. The key lies in the past…_

His fingers stopping in mid-trace, Sasuke's eyes widened in recognition. "That's it, dad. All the information is in front of me, but I haven't tried to understand it. It's not the _what_, but the _how,_ the _why,_ and the _when_." He lurched to his feet and started pacing between the graves. "There's something deeper to all this. The Ripper has to be the one who framed Itachi, but why? The obvious reason is to get him out of the way, but that's only the surface, because why wouldn't he remove Orochimaru too? And the four victims all knew each other and the Ripper knew all of them…_how_? He has a grudge against them, a personal grudge; it's not just against prostitutes in general because he _chose_ them…but _why_?"

Sasuke froze, gripping his hair in frustration. The answer was right there in front of him, so why couldn't he see it? He kicked the earth angrily and some dirt flew and hit his parents' graves. His parents… "Mom and dad," he whispered. "You've involved in this somehow." Spoken aloud, the statement sounded absurd, but he knew in his gut that he was right. "I need to go back home." He spun around and came face to face with Sakura. "Sakura," he breathed in surprise. "I didn't know you were there."

She smiled. "I got here right as you stood up."

Sasuke blushed slightly. "So you heard all of that."

"Yeah." Sakura fingered the roses in her arms delicately. "I just came to visit my friends." She knelt down and placed a rose on both of Sasuke's parents' graves. Frowning as she stood up, she turned to Sasuke. "Are you really going to go back home?"

Sasuke nodded somberly. "I have to, Sakura. I just _know_ somehow that there's something there."

Sakura nodded slightly, but the frown never left her face. She began walking and Sasuke followed her to a relatively new row of four graves. She placed a rose on each grave and kneeled, bowing her head in silent prayer. Sasuke watched her shoulders shake, and when she stood her eyes shone but no tears fell. "I'm trying not to be selfish," she began with a shaky voice, "but honestly, the thought of you leaving terrifies me."

Sasuke bit his lip as Sakura's eyes moistened even further. "I won't be gone for that long, Sakura, and I'll still be in London," he reassured her.

"I know that," she replied. "But I still feel that way. Itachi is being detained and I don't trust Orochimaru…I know I have Naruto, but…"

Sasuke embraced her, clutching her tightly. "Sakura, I have to go, but I won't leave you unprotected. Please, _please_, stay with Naruto and Iruka. Don't do it just for me, but do it for yourself. Iruka forgave you a long time ago, so it's time for you to forgive yourself."

Sakura was quiet for a moment, but then he felt her nod against his neck and mumble, "Ok, I will."

Sasuke smiled. "Thank you."

Sakura pulled away. "But on one condition. Give me and Naruto two days, today and tomorrow, to try and help you figure this out before you leave."

Sighing, Sasuke replied, "There's nothing more to discover here. We've sucked Whitechapel dry – I need to go back home."

"I don't mean we're going to help you discover something new, but let us help organize the main ideas and questions so that you'll know what to look for when you get home."

Sasuke considered her proposition; it wasn't a bad idea. "Alright, I'll take you up on your offer. Let's get lunch, then after that we'll go to Iruka's house and start."

Sakura bit her lip, the idea of reconciling with Iruka clearly making her uncomfortable, and nodded. Squeezing her hand in a reassuring way, Sasuke linked arms with Sakura and led her out of the graveyard.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_2:00 PM_

Sakura crossed the threshold of the orphanage slowly, looking around and inhaling deeply. "It's been years since I last stepped foot in this place. It's nice to know that while everything else has changed drastically, this place is still the same. It still smells like warm bread." She smiled slightly at Sasuke. "Where's Naruto?"

Hanging his coat on the worn rack, Sasuke replied, "I know he's not helping out at the shop today, so he must've run to a store to pick up groceries or something. We can just start without him."

As Sakura took off her gloves and scarf, Sasuke went to the kitchen to get them both hot tea. When he returned, she was sitting stiffly on the edge of the couch in the living room. She offered him a small smile. "It's going to take me a little while to be comfortable here again."

Sasuke returned the smile. "It probably won't take as long as you think." He set the tea down on the stained coffee table and sat across from Sakura in an old but cozy armchair. "Alright, so where do we start?"

"How about you write down all of the questions that haven't been answered yet?" Sakura suggested.

Sasuke reached inside his vest to grab his notebook before remembering he didn't have it anymore. He grimaced as his fingers brushed empty air. "Orochimaru made me give up my notebook to him."

Frowning, Sakura asked, "Do you remember most of the information?"

"Like the back of my hand."

"Then here." She removed a small square notepad form her dress pocket and handed it to him.

"Thanks," Sasuke replied, pulling out his pen. "I guess one of the most obvious questions is how is Jack the Ripper connected to the victims? He left a note by Temari's body that made it seem like he knew her personally. All of the victims were also close friends. So _what_ is the personal tie that knots it all together?"

Sasuke wrote as he spoke and Sakura waited until he was done to speak. "Also, why did he kill them? He must've had something against each one of them to murder them so viciously," she said bitterly.

As Sasuke was copying down what Sakura said, another idea popped into his mind. "Is he doing it alone, or does he have help? Is there someone covering up the mess while Jack the Ripper does the dirty work?"

There was silence for a couple of minutes as the two pondered. "How is Itachi connected?" Sasuke wondered aloud. "If the Ripper wanted to get Itachi out of the way, then why didn't he do something about Orochimaru too?" Thinking about Itachi inevitably led Sasuke to think about his parents. He swallowed the hard lump in his throat. "Are my parents connected?" he asked quietly. "Are the Whitechapel Slaughterer and Jack the Ripper one and the same?"

A heavy layer of insecurity and hesitation descended on the room. "I have one more question," Sakura said slowly, staring down at her lap. "Will I be the last victim, or will Jack the Ripper kill more prostitutes after me?"

Sasuke and Sakura made eye contact, but neither of them could speak. Their eyes remained locked in a fearful, intense gaze until the door suddenly swung open with a loud bang. The intensity of the situation vanished as Naruto's warm voice invaded the living room. "Boom, baby! It's my favorite part of the day – unpacking groceries." When Naruto's friendly eyes landed on Sasuke and Sakura, their cold limbs began to pulse with warmth. "Sasuke, heya! Sakura – " A shocked expression twisted his features. "Sakura, what are you doing here? I mean you're allowed to of course, but, I mean, I'm surprised you _want_ to be here."

The image of Naruto standing there framed in the open doorway, his arms filled with bagged groceries and a flustered expression on his face, was too much for Sakura. She burst into a fit of giggles, causing Naruto's surprised expression to transform into a grin. "I've been so stubborn, Naruto," Sakura admitted after she stopped laughing. "I'm done with that, and I'm sorry I've been that way toward you and Iruka all this time."

"I'll forgive you, but only if you help me unpack these groceries," Naruto replied with a wink.

Sakura beamed. "Deal!"

This was followed by a comical scene in which Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto unpacked the groceries, and Sasuke and Naruto engaged in a competition to see who could unbag and pass the items to Sakura the fastest. The game was not well thought out and the end result was Naruto and Sasuke chucking groceries at Sakura wildly while she screamed and ducked. When they were finished, they all collapsed in a pile on the floor, laughing until they stomachs ached.

"I haven't…laughed that hard…in a while," Sakura said between gasps.

"Same…here," Naruto and Sasuke replied in unison. After a couple of minutes they pulled themselves up from their sprawled positions on the floor. "I guess we better get back to work," Sasuke said.

"Work?" Naruto groaned. "But it's my day off!"

"Too bad, dork." As they rose to their feet and reassembled in the living room, Sasuke explained the situation to Naruto.

"Itachi is being accused of murder? So that's what all the commotion was at the grocery store." Naruto sighed. "Man, this place is going to hell in a hand basket."

"Pretty much," Sasuke agreed. "Which is why we need to get to work."

For the next few hours they compiled a list of all the important evidence found at the crime scenes that were mysterious or confusing. They also wrote down summaries of the main points of the investigation. It was right when they were about to stop for the night that they heard a key in the door and Iruka entered moments later.

As Sakura and Iruka made eye contact, everyone in the room held their breaths. Sakura was frozen, eyes wide as a deer caught in the headlights, and Iruka stopped halfway across the threshold, his mouth hanging open. No one spoke. All was silent.

Then Sakura released a breath. "Iruka, I'm so sorry. I've been so stubborn and ungrateful for all this time, over a stupid fight. Please forgive me."

In less than ten steps Iruka was in front of Sakura, throwing his arms around her and holding her against him. "Sakura, I forgave you the day it all happened. I've just been trying to forgive myself for pushing you away. Can you forgive me?"

With tears welling in her eyes, Sakura returned Iruka's embrace. Sasuke and Naruto began to breathe again. "I forgave you a long time ago, too."

Naruto grinned. "All right, group hug time!" Before Iruka and Sakura could protest, Naruto lunged at the two of them and locked his arms around their necks. He craned his neck around to look at Sasuke. "That means you too, Sasuke."

Caving under the pressure from the three pairs of eyes staring at him, Sasuke sighed and slowly walked over to the group. He made a choking sound as he was enveloped in the tight arms. "It might be nice if I could breathe."

"Suck it up jerk, breathing is overrated. Besides, we're family!" Naruto replied with a grin.

An image of Itachi flashed through Sasuke's mind. _Family…that's right._ Sasuke would never admit it, but he knew that if it wasn't for the three of them, he would've lost all hope long ago.


	20. Ch 19 A Trip Down Memory Lane

A/N: This chapter doesn't have that much exciting stuff happening in it, but it does give a small glimpse into Sasuke and Itachi's past. The ultra important discovery will be in the next chapter. :) Anyways, on another note, I just returned from a vacation in Michigan recently and it was pretty amazing. I climbed up and ran down the sand dunes for the first time, and oh man, the running down was fun and exhilarating, but the climbing up reminded me how out of shape I am haha. But, back to business, I hope you enjoy this chapter and constructive criticism is appreciated!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 19: A Trip Down Memory Lane

_Thursday, 3 _November_ 1888 – 12:00 AM_

Sasuke made his bed slowly, his mind elsewhere as he pulled at the sheets and the covers. When he was finished he sat on the soft surface and began packing. He wasn't leaving Whitechapel for long, only one or two days, and would be returning, so he didn't pack much. Digging through his suitcase, Sasuke grabbed out his toiletries and a few other personal items and stuffed them along with Sakura's notepad into a small leather satchel.

Yesterday had been a good day. Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto spent the entire day together brainstorming, filling out the notepad, and just catching up on all the lost years. When Iruka returned from work the four of them all played cards together, and the remaining awkwardness between Iruka and Sakura ebbed away as the minutes ticked past.

And now Sasuke had to leave all of that. He sighed, but he knew the sooner he left the sooner he could return. So now it was time to make his goodbyes. Sasuke wrapped up in his coat, scarf, and gloves and swung the satchel over his back before making his way downstairs. Pausing by Itachi's room, he cracked open the door and looked inside. Itachi's suitcase was still beside the bed and a few of his personal items were scattered on the bedside table. Sasuke's heart throbbed and he shut the door quickly. He missed his brother more than he realized.

When Sasuke stepped into the living room, Naruto and Sakura were waiting to see him off; Iruka had already left for work. They offered him sad smiles.

Naruto punched him lightly in the shoulder. "It's going to be weird when you're not here for the next couple of days. I was just beginning to get used to your annoying presence in the house."

With a genuine grin Sasuke gently bopped Naruto on the head. "Shouldn't I be the one saying that, moron?" He took on a serious tone as he gripped Naruto shoulder. "Take care of her, Naruto, even if you have to risk your life."

Naruto nodded. "You know I will."

Sasuke turned to Sakura. She was looking down, trying to hide the unshed tears in her eyes. Tilting her chin up gently, Sasuke looked into her eyes and smiled. "I'll only be gone for two days. Naruto and Iruka will protect you until then. _You_ just have to make sure that Naruto doesn't do anything stupid."

Sakura laughed and covered his hand with hers. "I can do that. But Sasuke, be careful, and good luck."

Squeezing her hand gently, Sasuke leaned in and kissed her softly but meaningfully. "I will."

Then he turned away, heading toward the door beyond which the hansom was waiting. Sasuke paused with his hand on the doorknob. "Don't let anyone know I'm gone. The only people who can know are you two, Iruka, Kabuto, and Itachi. They're the only ones I trust." Sasuke waited for them to nod and then he opened the door and he was gone.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

A sense of relief washed over Sasuke as he stepped down from the hansom into the relative calm and quiet of the street. His and Itachi's small house was tucked into the far outskirts of London, where the bustling city began to morph into a peaceful suburb. To his right, a man and a woman walked a small pitbull as they held hands and chatted. He could see a small girl playing in a pile of leaves a few houses down. Sasuke smiled at these scenes that he wouldn't even have spared a glance at a couple of months ago. _Why can't Whitechapel be like this?_ he asked himself. _Why can't Sakura have a life like this?_

_She can, but only if you make it possible,_ a small voice inside of him answered. That's right, he needed to get to work. Sasuke grudgingly tore his eyes away from the warm, peaceful scenes and went up to his front door. He dug out his key, unlocked the door, and pushed it open. Hoping that none of his neighbors saw him and sought to distract him, he slipped inside and closed the door quickly.

Fumbling in the dark, Sasuke felt for the table lamp and lit it with a match. The familiar sights of the simple but elegant furniture and decor greeted him like old friends. Exhaustion washed over him and he collapsed on the soft cushioned couch, setting his leather satchel on the smooth coffee table. It had been two months since he'd last set foot in this house, but this was the first time that he felt an overwhelming sense of homesickness.

"I want to give Sakura this," he whispered to himself. "I want her to have a soft couch and a table, and I want her to be able to bathe every day. I want her to enjoy this same safety and comfort that I feel right now."

Suddenly overwhelm by the urge to see his room again, even though he knew exactly what it looked like, Sasuke stood up and walked down the hallway. He stopped at his open door and looked in; his bed with the royal blue covers was neat and just as he left it. His stained wooden desk was covered with piles of notes and textbooks about law education and police work – how unimportant and useless they seemed now compared to everything he'd experienced firsthand. His tall stained bookshelf was set along the same wall as his desk, and it was filled with numerous classics and the occasional Wild West novel. He knew that Sakura would jump at the chance to read them; she'd probably read a book a day. The thought made him smile.

Sasuke moved to his brother's room, opened the door and entered it. Like Sasuke's, the bed with its dark maroon covers was neat and unused. Sasuke sat on it and disturbed a thin layer of dust that had settled on the covers in their absence. He openly sighed; it would be a pain to clean all of this when they came back…if they came back. Biting his lip, Sasuke went over and examined Itachi's ebony desk. The surface was also lined with dust and a neat stack of folders was tucked into a shelf. A thick novel Sasuke identified as Dante's _Inferno_ was placed on the surface of the desk with a bookmark halfway through its many pages. Sasuke bit back a bitter chuckle; the different levels of hell, how fitting. He idly wondered which level Whitechapel was on.

Sitting on another shelf of the desk were Itachi's prized Sherlock Holmes books. Each one was in pristine condition and one was even signed by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself. Fingering the books, Sasuke remembered a time when he was younger and, out of spite, he drew all over the pages of one of the books. Itachi, of course, had been furious and hadn't spoken to Sasuke for the rest of the day. Eventually Sasuke bowed to his guilt and bought Itachi a new copy; this was now Itachi's most prized possession.

The memory was bittersweet and Sasuke didn't know whether to smile or cry. He pulled his attention away from the books and focused it on the folders. These color-coded folders contained information on all the cases Itachi ever worked on, but Sasuke was looking for one in particular…

Pulling them out of the shelf, Sasuke set them on Itachi's bed and lit the bedside lamp. He then settled himself into a comfortable position and began the process of sifting through each folder. The activity wasn't time-consuming, but it was frustrating. Each folder held a different tragedy – murder, rape, abuse – except for the one he was looking for. It wasn't until he was near the end of the pile that he recognized a common thread: all of these crimes were solved.  
Sasuke frowned at his own stupidity. Of course Itachi wouldn't leave _this_ file out in the open. It was the only crime he couldn't solve, a reminder of his shame. He would put it somewhere special, but hidden. Sasuke organized the folders back into their neat stack and returned them to the shelf. Itachi probably wouldn't keep it in his desk, in such close proximity to his solved cases. The closet, maybe? Sasuke glanced at the small closet in the corner of the room and shook his head. No, Itachi would keep it closer to heart…

The ebony bedside table that the lamp was resting on seemed to glow like a piece of evidence in one of his old interactive mystery novels. Sasuke kneeled in front of it; there were three drawers, but which one would the file be in? He tugged on each of the three drawers, but the top and bottoms ones were locked. The middle one slid open with ease, as if it had been tugged on many a sleepless night over the time span of many years. There was only one thing inside: an overused but gently handled yellow file folder. His parents' murder file.

Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat as his blood vessels carried dreadful anticipation to his vital organs. He slowly opened the folder with tingling fingers, holding his breath because he knew what was to greet him. Although he wasn't surprised, it still took all the will power he possessed to force his shaking hands to hold the folder still. His mother and father stared blankly with glossy eyes from the black and white photographs. His mother was lying on her back in a puddle of her own dark blood, two deep gashes slicing her head almost entirely off, with her abdomen and stomach shredded to ribbons. His father was strewn across her lap, blood streaming from the matching gashes on his neck and soaking his hands.

Shutting his eyes tightly, Sasuke didn't need the photos to remind him of what blood smelled like. The coppery scent had mingled with the overwhelming smell of shredded flesh and intense fear. He could still feel the warm, sticky blood pooling around his kneecaps when he kneeled beside his parents, his mouth hanging open, unable to say a word. Sasuke had been returning from Iruka's orphanage and Itachi was sent to accompany him home since it was dark out and Whitechapel wasn't safe at night. However, Naruto challenged Sasuke and Itachi to one last game of poker before they left. They obliged and Itachi, of course, won. When they reached their street Sasuke dared Itachi to race him home. Itachi, like always, gave Sasuke a head start, so Sasuke reached their parents' room first. By the time Itachi reached the room, Sasuke's hands and legs were soaked with blood and his screaming was a series of unintelligible babbling.

The memory was abruptly cut off when Sasuke's eyes snapped open. He brushed his fingers over his cheek lightly and was surprised to find them damp. Their parents were murdered eight years ago and Sasuke thought he had just about run out of tears. Apparently not.

He inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly. "I don't know if there's a heaven or not," he spoke aloud to himself, "but I do know that you're not completely gone, mom, dad. I can still feel you, as if there's some sort of connection. Please, give me the strength to get through this file. I _need_ to see if there's something in here that will tie everything together."

With renewed courage, Sasuke directed his gaze back toward the file. He removed the photos and laid them face down on the floor before sifting through the papers in the folder. He soon lost track of the hours ticking by as he read each and every paper multiple times, combing the written and printed words for important details.

"This is no good!" he eventually snapped, throwing the papers down in frustration. All he'd managed to find was that the M.O. of the Whitechapel Slaughterer matched that of Jack the Ripper (minus the prostitute part), and that it was a possibility his parents had known their killer. This speculation came from the fact that there was no sign of a forced entry, indicating that the killer might've been intentionally allowed in the house. While this was important, it brought Sasuke no closer to finding out who the killer was. His parents were popular; they knew many, _many_ people in London and outside of it.

"This must not be the right place to look," Sasuke admitted. "Maybe it's somewhere else…" An idea came to him. What about his parents' belongings? Sasuke and Itachi stored them in boxes in the guest bedroom. "That's it!" he mumbled, setting the file on the bed and crossing to the other side of the hallway. Across from Itachi's bedroom was the washroom, and the guest bedroom was next to that. A strong smell of dust and mothballs hit Sasuke as he opened the door. He honestly couldn't remember the last time anyone stepped foot in the room. Since Sasuke and Itachi almost never had guests, there was no bed or other furniture in the bedroom, which they used as a storeroom. Messy piles of cardboard boxes covered the floor and Sasuke was suddenly overwhelmed by the task laid before him. Sighing, he rolled up his sleeves and pants cuffs and kneeled in front of a random pile of boxes, prepared for a long night.

He worked for two hours straight, opening and emptying the contents of box after box, regretting that he and Itachi never labeled the boxes when they first packed them. Some boxes made him pause and smile as he fondled old toys his mother bought him long ago, reveling in warm, happy memories. Others brought him close to becoming a sniveling, sobbing mess as he clutched his parents' clothes close to his face, inhaling his mother's and father's unique scents and knowing they would never wear these clothes again.

The whole ordeal was just stressful, time-consuming, and bittersweet, so by 7:00 PM Sasuke was ready for a break. Wiping his dusty hands on his pants, Sasuke stacked the boxes he'd already gone through and shoved them to one side of the room. From these he pulled out two boxes that might be useful, one containing his father's case files and the other holding his mother's patients' files, and carried them to the living room. Returning to the storeroom, he observed his progress with satisfaction; there were less than half of the boxes left to search.

It was only now when he stood unoccupied that an overwhelming hunger swept through him. Sasuke clutched his roaring stomach and wandered over to the black and white tiled kitchen, where he then raided his pantry. There wasn't much, just some boxes of crackers and sweets. His stomach grumbled angrily, refusing these measly snacks and demanding something more filling. Sasuke considered going to the grocery store and making something, but he was too hungry to wait and also too exhausted to cook. Going out to a restaurant was his best option, it seemed.

Sasuke grabbed his wallet and key and headed over to Itachi's favorite sandwich place. It was bustling with so much activity that no one paid too much attention to Sasuke, which he was thankful for. He didn't need any familiar faces inquiring as to where his brother was and when the Abberline brothers were returning for good.

He ordered fish and chips and a glass of brandy, hoping the alcohol would calm his frustrations, and took his time eating. He needed to relax for a little bit before returning to his stressful task. His food was almost gone when a sandy-haired waitress caught his eye, walking toward him with a friendly smile.

"Sasuke, it's been a couple months since we've seen you around here!" she greeted cheerfully. "Where's your brother?"

Oh, she was that waitress who had a huge crush on his brother. Anna, he though her name was. "Itachi is still away in London on business," he answered cryptically, although he was sure she knew what that business was from the newspapers. "I'll tell him you say hello, though."

"Are you going back so soon?" Anna asked with a frown.

"Yeah, I just came back to grab some things from home that we need," he answered, giving the watered down version. "I'm leaving again sometime tomorrow."

"Oh." She seemed disappointed at first, but then she perked up. "Well you should come back for lunch tomorrow!"

Sasuke returned her smile. "Maybe."

Shortly afterwards he paid and left, making the trip back home in darkness. However, this darkness was not menacing, held no threat or murder and danger. Instead it was calm and almost soothing. Sasuke reveled in it and almost didn't want to return to his dusty, empty house, but his sense of responsibility and the biting cold forced him inside.

Lighting a lamp, Sasuke carried it into the dark storeroom and set it on a box near him. The lamp cast streams of light across the faces of the boxes, creating pockets of eerie shadows by the side and behind. If Sasuke was in Whitechapel, he would freeze at the very sight of those shadows, refusing to breathe for fear it would make an audible noise. But he wasn't in Whitechapel, so he disregarded these dark patches entirely.

Sasuke glanced at his watch; it was 9:00 PM. Rubbing his tired eyes, he vowed that he would go for at least an hour before stopping for the night. So he began searching through boxes again, and by the time it was 10:00 there were only five boxes left. He shoved these to the right side of the room for tomorrow and pushed the searched boxes to the left. There was only one box which held anything of interest: a stack of photo albums and his mother's address book. Sasuke hoped that he could use these to identify any suspicious characters in his parents' lives.

But now he needed sleep. Sasuke dug his toiletries out of his leather satchel and cleaned up in the washroom before changing into a pair of soft pajamas. He then patted the dust off his covers, climbed in, and blew out the lamp. His mind went black shortly after the lamp did.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

When Sasuke awoke at 10:00 AM the next morning, he stared at his watch with bleary eyes. He'd slept for nearly twelve hours. His physical and emotional trip down memory lane must've taken more out of him than he'd thought.

He stumbled to the panty and grabbed out the box of two month old salted crackers, too tired to care if they were stale or not. He nibbled on them for awhile as his body and mind began to wake up. As he ate, the memory that there were only five boxes left to search appeared in his mind, injecting him with energy and a sense of purpose. He then returned to his room, changing into clean clothes and washing up before plopping himself down in the storeroom yet again.

Due to his well-rested state and his eagerness to get the task over with quickly, Sasuke blew through the remaining five boxes and even found one that looked promising. He pushed this box next to the other three boxes of interest and began to carry them one by one to the living room. When they were all removed he stood outside the storeroom and released a relieved sigh. "Finally that part is over…" He shut the door, wiped his dusty hands on his pants and returned to the living room.

Now was the hardest part. He needed to go through each and every one of these boxes with a magnifying glass and a fine-toothed comb; he couldn't afford to miss any details. He had too much to lose. If these four boxes couldn't give him at least a hint of Jack the Ripper's identity, then Sasuke would fail. Itachi would be convicted, Sakura would be killed, and Sasuke would lose everything.

He wouldn't let that happen.

Sasuke started with the first box which held his father's numerous case files. He honestly didn't know what he was looking for, but he was sure that if he stumbled across something, he would know. It took him three hours to reach the bottom of the box. He read through each and every criminal case thoroughly, giving extra attention to murders that involved prostitutes, cut throats, or mutilation. However, none seemed particularly important or remarkable.

Put out by the lack of helpful information, Sasuke boxed up his father's case files and reassured himself with the fact that there were three boxes left. He then opened the next box, which contained his mother's psychiatry files. Thankfully there weren't half as many files in there as there were in his father's box. However, he still examined these just as thoroughly.

Sasuke had only gone through a few files when he found one that made him pause in shock. The name 'Jiraiya Lemmens' stood out boldly on the neatly typed paper. Sasuke read the rest of the file eagerly, drinking in every detail in an attempt to satisfy his burning curiosity.

According to the file, Mikoto diagnosed Jiraiya with serious depression. He began coming to her a few months after his and Tsunade's divorce, which apparently Jiraiya never wanted. Tsunade was the one who filed for the divorce, and after she left Jiraiya developed a number of problems. He became extremely antisocial and fell prey to alcoholism, and he also retired from his job as a respectable hospital surgeon shortly afterward. Jiraiya met with Sasuke's mother over the course of a year, originally meeting two times a week and slowly dwindling to twice a month as his condition improved. After a year Mikoto decided that Jiraiya's depression was not a threat anymore and their meetings ended. Jiraiya, however, remained a family friend.

Sasuke set the file to the side slowly, frowning. He knew that the divorce hadn't been easy on Jiraiya, but he only now understood how big of a scar it had left on the poor man's life. Now Sasuke regretted all of the previous dislike he's held for Jiraiya…the man's life had been harsh…

…harsh enough to create a killer, maybe? It would be perfect: Jiraiya was a retired surgeon, so he had a more-than-working knowledge of anatomy. He also had a motive for killing Tsunade, _and_ he was connected to Sasuke's parents. But there was the tedious little detail that Jiraiya had alibis for the time of every murder, officially ruling him out. Oh well, it was worth a try.

After shaking off the surprise from the knowledge he'd just gained, Sasuke searched through the remaining files but found nothing else of interest. As he packed away every file but Jiraiya's, his stomach proceeded to make angry growling noises. Sasuke checked his watch. "I guess I missed lunch," he said aloud. "It's too early for dinner though. I'll just have something in between, then."

For the second time in two days Sasuke headed over to Itachi's favorite restaurant, and this time Anna the waitress was his server. They made small-talk whenever she came by, but other than that Sasuke ate his apple gouda sandwich and fries in silence. He tried to hurry without choking, as he was eager to return home and finish the tiring task for good.

By the time Sasuke made it home the pre-winter sky was slowly beginning to darken, forcing him to light multiple lamps in the living room to provide enough light. He immediately pulled the third box over to him, the one containing the photo albums, and began searching. It required all of his self control and more to stop himself from getting lost in the blissful, tragic memories. _Later,_ he promised himself. _I can take my time with these later. Now, I need to be all business._

The photos and address book yielded little result. Sure, it provided him with numerous faces and names, but they all jumbled and morphed together in his mind. This information was useless unless he actually know where to start. But realistically, Sasuke knew he didn't have enough time to case study each and every one of his parents' friends and acquaintances.

Sighing, Sasuke repacked this box and shoved it to the side. Then his gaze fell on the final box; sturdy yet flimsy, representing either hope or hopelessness. It contained his mother's numerous poems, short stories and diaries. Sasuke wasn't sure why he thought these writings had any answers, but it was better than nothing.

As with the photo albums, it was hard for Sasuke to stay on task. Every piece of his mother's writing reminded him of years ago when she would read to him at night before he slept. He always thought her stories were better than the books she bought him, but she never tried to publish her works. Fame and popularity were never important to Mikoto.

His mother's diaries were at the bottom of the box, and there were quite a few of them. Sasuke decided to start with her most recent one and work his way back to the distant past. However, he didn't have to read for long. He only needed to skim through two of his mother's diaries to find what he needed, but that information was more than he ever wanted to know.


	21. Ch 20 The Diaries of Mikoto Abberline

A/N: Hey everyone! So I've discovered something important over the 3 years it's taken me to write this – I have less control over my story than I think I do. When I originally wrote this, I intended it to be about 8 or 9 chapters, but nothing over 10. Now it's going to be over 20 chapters and the plotline and characters have developed in ways that I never intended. It's because of this that I don't think I can finish _Ashes Ashes_ before the summer is over. However, I definitely can finish it before the year 2011 is over, so that's my new goal. Thanks again to all my readers, and constructive criticism is always welcome!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 20: The Diaries of Mikoto Abberline

_12 January 1867_

_I'm going to start meeting with a new patient this week. Kakashi introduced me to him – his name is Jiraiya Lemmens. Kakashi says Jiraiya may be depressed over his recent divorce; apparently it's very serious. The man certainly seems depressed, but to what extent I'll have to find out. I hope I can help this man – Kakashi is very worried about him._

_17 January 1867_

_I had my first meeting with Jiraiya today. Unlike some of my other patients, he opened up to me without hesitation; he seems to wear his heart on his sleeve. Unfortunately, his depression seems to be extreme. He told me that his wife, Tsunade, wanted the divorce, but he didn't. He seems to have conflicting feelings for Tsunade – he still loves her and spoke of her fondly during out meeting. However, at times when he was emotional he expressed bitterness and hatred for her. He did not tell me why Tsunade wanted the divorce. _

_Jiraiya admitted that he's become antisocial since the divorce and Kakashi is the only person he's kept some amount of contact with. It was this and his recently-developed alcoholism that caused Kakashi to come to me. I'm glad he did – Jiraiya really needs professional help. I pity him. He seems to be a kind and gentle man, and it pains me to see how much this divorce has hurt him._

_I did not prescribe him any medication this time. He seemed to feel better after just talking for an hour, so I want to talk to him and allow him to ease the weight off his chest before giving him medicine.__1__ I'm scheduled to meet with him again next week._

_21 January 1867_

_Itachi made our bed for us today – it was so sweet. He's such a darling, he helps me around the house so much and he's only four years old. Such an intelligent young boy._

_I met with Jiraiya for the second time. He emptied his heart out again, and this time I asked him why Tsunade wanted the divorce. He was a little hesitant at first, but he became emotional as he spoke and eventually told me everything. According to him, Tsunade was bored with a married life. She enjoyed drinking, gambling, and flirting with other men, and she believed her marriage held her back from those things. Their first eight years of marriage apparently went well, but their last two years were filled with lies and fighting._

_Jiraiya partially blames himself for the divorce. He told me that he wished he would had done more exciting things and devoted more time to Tsunade – then, maybe she would have stayed. At that point he broke down and cried, and I could barely bear it. I wanted to comfort him, but I didn't. Seeing as we're still almost strangers and I'm in a professional position, I stayed my distance and let him get it out. He seemed to be calmer after that, though._

As Sasuke read the diary entries, the neat scrawl of his mother's hand brought back the warm, soothing tone of her voice, and he could imagine that she was reading them to him now. He wanted to read all of them, especially the ones involving their family, but she wrote a lot of entries so he sifted through them and forced himself to only read the ones related to Jiraiya. Some of those entries were repetitive however, so Sasuke skipped forward a few to find the important ones.

_25 February 1867_

_Jiraiya offered to take me out to eat for the fourth time since I met him. He's such a kind-hearted person; he always overpays me for our meetings and tries to thank me with all these invitation. I have to decline, of course – it's not wise for psychiatrists to form friendships with their patients. However, I take his attempts to repay me as a good sign; he must be pleased with this treatment._

Sasuke's fingers clenched the diary tightly as apprehension slowly filled his stomach. This was not a diary specifically used for writing about his mother's patients; there were entries about their family and friends, too. So why did his mother write about Jiraiya so often…?

Skimming the entries quickly, Sasuke skipped ahead a couple of months.

_2 May 1867_

_Kakashi came over to visit today – Itachi is very fond of him – and informed me that Jiraiya is doing much better. He's been going out to more social events and Kakashi has noticed that the amount of alcohol in his house is considerably lower. This news makes me very happy._

_On another note, Kakashi also said that he's been given a position at the Whitechapel (H) Division headquarters as a patrolman. He'll be working alongside Fugaku but at a lower rank, of course. Fugaku is impressed with Kakashi though; he's one of the youngest officers to join there. He is a very intelligent young man, so I'm not surprised._

_4 June 1867_

_Jiraiya relapsed into his old drinking habits again yesterday. He told me that he was ashamed of himself for doing so, but he couldn't help it. Apparently he saw Tsunade at the park and she was on the arm of another man…and it broke Jiraiya's heart. As he talked to me about it, sobbing and cursing, the first thought that came into my mind was _damn her_. Jiraiya and I have worked so hard these past five months to glue to pieces of his shattered heart back together again…and Tsunade's promiscuity has caused Jiraiya's tears to melt the glue. Now, I just hope I can catch the pieces slowly sliding off so I have the chance to stitch them together for good…Damn her. _

The last entry aroused mixed feelings in Sasuke. On one hand he was surprised at the intensity of emotion his mother expressed. When Mikoto was alive, she'd always been calm and serene, her emotions always balanced and never extreme. On the other hand, Sasuke was ashamed at himself for rifling through his mother's personal diaries. There were probably things in here that his mother never intended for him to know. But Sasuke knew that his was something he needed to do, so he pushed his guilt aside and continued reading.

_20 June 1867_

_I've been helping build Jiraiya back up since his relapse and it's been slow but positive progress. I decided not to have him abstain from alcohol entirely, as that would put more strain on his already stressed mind. Instead, I've instructed him to drink no more than three glasses of alcohol a day, one with each meal. Although the temptation has been strong, he's followed my guidance and hasn't slipped up once._

_The emotional healing, on the other hand, has been a bit more difficult. Jiraiya understands that Tsunade is now allowed to be with any man she wants, but he can't help feeling a little betrayed. He still loves her deeply, and it pains him to see how easily she has moved on. Unfortunately, his self-confidence has taken a hit from this and I now need to rebuild that, too. God help him._

_9 July 1867_

_Itachi came to me crying today. I was shocked; while most four-year-olds cry a lot, Itachi rarely gets upset and when he does it doesn't last long, so I knew it must be something serious. I held him until he stopped crying, and he told me he had gone into Fugaku's office to ask him something and saw a file with lots of writing on the desk. Itachi couldn't understand everything it said so he asked his father and Fugaku explained the murder in detail. I was horrified; the murder was gruesome and Itachi began to tear up as he repeated what his father told him._

_I was furious – that is nothing a four-year-old should hear. Fugaku's retort was that he didn't want to shield Itachi and make him soft. Honestly, sometimes I can't remember why I married him. He holds no compassion, not even for his own son. I left him and laid Itachi down to sleep, reading him one of my poems about the ocean. It didn't take long for him to drift off._

_Let me talk about something else to calm my mind. It's been almost nine months since the divorce, so I asked Jiraiya if he had any interest in seeing another woman. I think it would help him heal. It took him awhile to respond and he chose his words carefully. He still loves Tsunade, but he wants to learn to let go of her. However, he doesn't want short-term relationships; he wants to find someone with whom he can spend the rest of his life with. He is a true romantic at heart. What I will say is that any woman who gets him will be lucky, because he will make a most devoted and loving husband.  
_

_11 August 1867_

_Jiraiya has been taking my advice on finding another woman. He told me that he's taken an interest in a woman named Shizune. She is pretty, nice, and comforting, but other than that he's told me nothing else. I'm glad for him though. If this relationship works out, I hope she cherishes him more than Tsunade did._

_24 August 1867_

_Tsunade didn't come up once during our session today; Jiraiya only spoke of Shizune. He talked about how amazing she was for an entire hour. You would think she is a perfect angel from the things he said about her…that is, until I asked how he met her. Jiraiya became quiet then. He only grudgingly told me how he knew her. Apparently she is Tsunade's closest friend…now I know why he's so obsessed with her. I warned him that it would be detrimental to his progress if he continued to pursue Shizune. I think he may be going after her to get closer to Tsunade, which is the exact opposite of what I suggested. Jiraiya was not pleased with my disapproval, but I continued to urge him to put space between himself and anything related to Tsunade. At that he became angry and yelled at me before storming out the door…_

…_and I have been miserable ever since. I have so many mixed emotions, I can't untangle them. I feel regret for ruining Jiraiya's good mood and his hope, but I also know that what I said was right and he'll only hurt himself more by pursuing Shizune. I also feel sadness and fear…sadness that I hurt Jiraiya, and fear that he may not come back. I've come to look forward to our sessions so much that the mere thought of not seeing him again creates nervous knots in my stomach…which leads to the last emotion I feel. I know I shouldn't feel it, it's petty and wrong and hopeless…but I feel jealousy. _

The fingers that held the diary were cold and the eyes that read it were unblinking. Sasuke didn't know what to react to first, the knowledge that Jiraiya now had connections to two of the Ripper victims, or the sinking realization that his mother through of Jiraiya as more than a patient and more than a friend. Either thought caused Sasuke's stomach to do anxious flips…but he knew he needed to read on.

_9 September 1867_

_Jiraiya never showed up for our last meeting and I admit I've been very morose since then. Itachi and Fugaku have noticed the change and Itachi tries to cheer me up every day by picking me a bouquet of dandelions or washing the dishes for me. He's really a sweetheart and such a little gentleman. Fugaku remarked about my somber disposition once and hasn't said anything else since then. You would think he doesn't care at all…But I suppose it's good that he hasn't asked questions, because I'm afraid of what the answers would be._

_20 September 1867_

_I can't find the words to describe how truly happy I am right now. Jiraiya showed up at my office a few hours ago right before I was about to leave and begged me to make some time for him. I, of course, obliged and he poured his heart out to me, all of his anger, regret, and betrayal. He told me that the relationship with Shizune didn't work out. They had started becoming closer as friends first, and then Jiraiya tried to romance her. She was hesitant to start a relationship with Jiraiya because of her loyalty to Tsunade, but she did admit that she was attracted to Jiraiya. They began to date but, according to Jiraiya, Shizune thought that Jiraiya was only using her to heal the wounds that Tsunade left. Shizune was upset by this and told Jiraiya that she didn't want to be with him anymore, and now Jiraiya's heart has been broken once again._

_I am not happy because Jiraiya is heart-broken and Shizune didn't work out. The reason I'm so happy is because I still get to spend time with Jiraiya…but it's at the cost of his misery. If he finds a woman he loves and she loves him in return, then he'll no longer need me and the intimate connection we've established will break…so I selfishly want him to stay miserable in order for me to be happy. But that's not fair. The curse of humanity is that life is not fair…but that doesn't make it any more justifiable. I'm so sorry, Jiraiya…_

_I've done the one thing that psychiatrists are never supposed to do…I've fallen for my patient._

_5 October 1867_

_My affections for Jiraiya are wrong and unhealthy. I have a husband and a child that I would never betray…but I can't control my attraction to him. The way he looks at me…I have tried to ignore it, to push it from my mind. He has called me beautiful before, but I told myself then he was just trying to be a gentleman. I have hid behind a mask of fake ignorance…but I know that he's always been attracted to me._

_Jiraiya knows about Fugaku and Itachi, so he's never made any attempt to romance me…but it's all there in those eyes. Those deep coal eyes hold a longing for me that up until now I have refused to acknowledge. The temptation is strong, but I'm trying my best to resist…_

_24 October 1867_

_I don't know what to say. I have done something that I regret and I need to write it down, to verify with my own eyes that it actually happened…but I can't find the courage to. Writing it down will make it official and my shame will stay with me forever. I can't believe I was so weak, so foolish. But I need to put it to paper. _

_I slept with my patient. I had sex with Jiraiya._

_There it is. I feel a sense of relief now that I've acknowledged it, but I don't feel any less guilty. Oh, God…I've betrayed Fugaku and Itachi; I don't deserve the titles of wife and mother. I have been unfaithful and it is entirely my fault…Jiraiya is not to blame._

_Oh, Jiraiya. I can't face him again, I am not brave enough. I gave him everything, and when I see him again I'll have to take it all away. I won't ever put myself in this position again. _

_The entire thing resulted from one moment of weakness. I was angry at and tired of Fugaku's apathy. No matter what subject we speak of, he only responds with either annoyance or disinterest. I cannot remember the last time he kissed me or the last time we made love. I was feeling particularly amorous last night so once Itachi was sleeping I tried to lead Fugaku to bed. He asked me if I was interested in having another child, and taken aback, I responded that I hadn't thought of it. He then said that if I wasn't trying to have a child then the sex was pointless. I have never been so angry and offended in my life. All Fugaku cares about is extending the damn Abberline bloodline! I slept in the guest bedroom that night, sobbing and cursing until I fell asleep._

_Today I refused to say goodbye to Fugaku when he left in the morning. I almost didn't feel like going to work, until I remembered that I had a session with Jiraiya. An eagerness that I am now ashamed of flooded me. I could barely focus on my other patients because I was so stressed and impatient. It was such a relief when Jiraiya showed up later in the afternoon. At first we made chit-chat and talked about his progress, but he noticed that I wasn't in the best mood and asked what was upsetting me. It all just burst out and I opened up to him like he did to me that very first day. I told him everything about Fugaku that bothered me, including the situation that happened last night. I can't believe I said all of that to him…I was a sobbing, hysterical mess._

_We had switched places: he was the calm and comforting psychiatrist and I was the insecure, broken patient. When I finished Jiraiya didn't say a word, he only hugged me tightly and stroked my hair gently until I stopped crying. I can't remember Fugaku ever holding me that way. It was after Jiraiya let go of me that everything went wrong…When his touch left me, I was suddenly filled with an aching emptiness. He was kind, caring, and funny, and he actually listened and cared about what I said. I needed him and I wanted him. So I kissed him._

_He was surprised but he pushed me away gently. He asked me if I was sure about what I was doing – I have a husband and child. In that moment of passion and lust and disillusionment, I was sure. So I kissed Jiraiya again and he kissed me back. And then…it's so hard to write…we soon lost our clothes and I gave myself to him. I was so rash and foolish…but I didn't feel the guilt until later. Afterwards we lay together and I fell asleep in his arms. When I awoke a couple hours later he was dressed and he kissed me on the head before leaving…and that was when the full extent of my actions reached me. _

_I did not only betray Fugaku…I also betrayed Jiraiya. By sharing that moment of passion with Jiraiya, I have given him a taste of something that he can't have. I did not sleep with Jiraiya out of pure lust – I also hold affections for him. Affections…why don't I stop avoiding the truth? I love him. I love Jiraiya…but I don't love him enough to hurt my family. This would destroy Fugaku, and Itachi would be caught in the middle. I can't do that to my son…But then what _should_ I do?_

_Jiraiya…I don't regret that I made love to him and I don't regret that I loved him. What I _do_ regret is that I didn't stop it when it started. I didn't have enough self-control to stop myself before I broke two hearts with one stone…and now I don't know how to keep the different broken pieces from mixing._

The leather-bound diary slowly slipped from Sasuke's fingers, falling to the floor in a ruffle of pages. His fingers curled back toward his palms and the nails dug into his soft flesh. Unblinking, his eyes stared at the floor. Time seemed to stop, as if patiently waiting for Sasuke to react. But it was not that simple. He didn't know how to react.

Sasuke wanted to be angry. He wanted to scream and curse, wanted to shred the diary with his bare hands while calling his mother a whore and a wench. He also wanted to be depressed, to sob and wail and curl up into a ball in order to shut the truth out. But most of all, he wanted to press his forehead against the cool smoothness of his mother's tombstone and let everything leak out, all his fury, sadness, and confusion, until only understanding was left.

But Sasuke could do none of these. Instead he hunched over, pressed his forehead to the floor, and choked.

He choked on a knot of bitterness that was threatening to suffocate him unless he could cough it up and expel it from his system forever. _How could she do that to father? Didn't she love him? How could she do that to Itachi? And how could she still have me, knowing she'd betrayed dad like that?_ Tears welled in his eyes from the lack of oxygen. Images of his mother and Jiraiya together were conjured by his imagination and Sasuke bit his lip in frustration and disgust. It was wrong and she was unfaithful and whorish and stupid and –

– and she was his mother and he was being judgmental. The knot in his throat began to loosen a little. Who was he to judge his mother's past mistakes? Sasuke certainly had a handful of his own misdeeds and fumbles and he knew what it felt like to have everyone criticizing him. What his mother did was not right, but that didn't make her a whore. Hate the sin but love the sinner, didn't someone say that?

Sasuke coughed and air began to flow to his lungs. His mother slept with Jiraiya almost twenty years ago. No matter how much he hated it, he couldn't change it. Why get upset over something that he had no control over? Pushing off the ground slowly, Sasuke rose to his knees and wiped his damp eyes with his sleeves. His gaze fell on the diary and he brushed his fingers against it lightly.

"Mom," he whispered, "I forgive you." He took a deep breath and found that he could breathe easily again. "Hopefully no more surprises await me in those diaries of yours…" Because Sasuke honestly didn't know if he could handle any more bad news. Picking the diary up off the floor with twitching fingers, Sasuke found the place where he left off and forced his eyes to read on. There were more important things at stake than his sanity.

The next few entries were still about his mother's grief and regret over Jiraiya, and Sasuke skipped these as his heart clenched painfully.

_28 October 1867_

_I've come to a decision on what I'm going to do. I can't avoid the situation forever, so I might as well deal with it now rather than later. I'm not going to tell Fugaku that I slept with Jiraiya, but it's not because I'm being selfish. If it was just Fugaku I would have to answer to then I would admit to my mistake. However, not only would it ruin my marriage and my job, it would also traumatize Itachi. He's much too young to understand now, although I'm sure Fugaku would try to make him understand. No, Itachi should not be punished for my moment of weakness. I will be the only one to suffer. Fugaku and Itachi will know nothing of it. Ignorance is indeed bliss…_

_As for Jiraiya, I will not hide from him. I will meet with him as scheduled and tell him the truth. I'll tell him that what happened was a mistake and it's entirely my fault. I don't blame him for any of it. I'll tell him that I care deeply about him…but I can no longer have sessions with him. I cherish all the time we've had together and I'm so proud of him for all the progress he's made, but I can't be around him anymore. Jiraiya is too much of a temptation for me and he's also a symbol of my shame and weakness. I can't ruin my family…I'm so sorry, Jiraiya. I didn't want to break your heart…I hate myself for it. But I have to, and hopefully you'll find a woman who will love you and give you everything, one love, one lifetime.__2__ I'm so sorry._

When Sasuke turned the page he frowned. The ripped edge of a page jutted out of the diary's spine. There was a page missing – why? It could be nothing…but Sasuke doubted it. It was probably something important, and it was also probably something that Sasuke and everyone except his mother shouldn't know. Because why else would it be missing?

_7 November 1867_

_I don't know how to describe my meeting with Jiraiya. I'll just start from the beginning. I was so nervous, my knees were shaking and I couldn't keep my fingers steady. I was such an anxious mess. When he walked in the door to my office, the first thing that hit me was how lovingly he looked at me. His eyes…they stared at me as if I was the most precious thing in the world. But it was then that I also realized how intimidating those eyes are. I was sitting down and he stood over me, his tall, strong build and penetrating coal eyes reducing me to a quivering wreck. I desire him…and I also fear him for the same reason. Which is why I couldn't bear to see him any longer._

_Jiraiya held me gently and tried to kiss me, but I turned my head. I told him that I needed to talk to him about something important, and worry creased his features almost immediately. I tried to be as kind and gentle as I could when I spoke, and I told him everything I said I would in my last entry. But no matter how kind I was, I couldn't stop the heart-breaking look of insecurity and helplessness from forming on his face._

_Jiraiya stuttered and stumbled over his words, desperately begging me not to leave him. He told me that he couldn't imagine life without me, that ever since he started coming to me his depression was barely a nuisance. He told me he needed me…and that was when I started crying. But I remained firm. I told him, I made _sure_ he knew that it wasn't him. There is nothing wrong with him – it's all me. He is a kind and wonderful man…and it hurt me to see him cry. I wish there was another way…_

_Jiraiya never was angry with me, only distraught and upset. I finally made him understand why we couldn't continue to have sessions, but he of course was still unhappy. It was hard to say goodbye to him. I'll still see him again sometimes, as he is a close friend of Kakashi's, but I will greet him only as a psychiatrist would greet a past patient, nothing more. It was sad…and heart-breaking. His eyes were red from crying, those beautiful coal eyes, yet they were intense and passionate as he kissed my hand. And then he left…and now I feel an emptiness that I cannot explain._

_Oh Jiraiya…please, I hope you can forgive me someday. _

Inhaling deeply and closing his eyes, Sasuke managed to suppress the feelings of betrayal and helplessness that were threatening to rise up. It wasn't just an affair…his mother held a tenderness for Jiraiya that she never showed for his father. Would she have been happier with Jiraiya…? Sasuke shook his head roughly, banishing the thought. _That was the past,_ he thought. _This is now. _Flipping through more pages, he searched for any more mentions of Jiraiya. Five more pages in and he encountered another ripped-out page. Coincidence? Could the topic on both pages be the same?

Sasuke continued to skim through the pages, but for the next four months there were very few mentions of Jiraiya, and when he was mentioned it wasn't important. However, in February of 1868 there was another missing entry. Sasuke frowned. "Mom," he muttered, "what were you trying to hide? What was so horrible that you had to erase all traces of it?"

There was still twelve years worth of entries for Sasuke to look through. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair; that was lot of reading. But he forced himself to find the motivation and continued his search. He switched over to the next diary when he got to the end of the first one. Throughout both diaries there were more random pages missing, and Sasuke was sure that they were all connected. He began to get the sinking feeling that they involved Jiraiya, as the man was barely mentioned at all in the twelve years worth of entries. But why would his mother tear out those entries when she didn't tear out all the previous entries about him? There was something off about all of it.

It wasn't until he reached the year 1880 that Sasuke found an entry about Jiraiya that was interesting.

_12 August 1880_

_I must admit that I am frightened. I saw Jiraiya again today…but that's not what scares me. I dropped Sasuke off at Iruka's today to see Naruto, Sakura, and the other kids, and Jiraiya was not there then. However, when I came to pick up Sasuke later Jiraiya was in the living room talking to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Apparently he came by to converse with Iruka and see Naruto. The boy thinks of Jiraiya as a father-figure. But the look Jiraiya gave me…I didn't like it. His eyes were filled with intensity and an emotion I couldn't read, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with the fear that he told Sasuke everything._

_I made polite small-talk and then took Sasuke and left as fast as I could. I don't like the way Jiraiya looks at Sasuke…I don't trust him to be around my boy. Thankfully I don't think Jiraiya said anything to him, because Sasuke didn't act any differently toward me. But I have this dreadful feeling that he'll try to tell Sasuke sometime…and I won't let him._

The first thing that struck Sasuke was that now he knew why Jiraiya had always looked at him so strangely. He'd wanted to tell Sasuke the truth about his mother…although why he tried to tell Sasuke and not Itachi, Sasuke wasn't sure. The second thing Sasuke wondered about was why this page was not torn out. It also involved Jiraiya and his mother's secret, so why did his mother leave it?

Sasuke continued on, but only grudgingly. His apprehension increased as the dates flew by; the day his parents were murdered drew ever closer…

Early in October there were two more pages missing, one after another, but after that the rest of the pages of the diary were left intact. Slowly Sasuke reached October 32rd, the day before his parents were killed and the last entry his mother ever wrote. The last and the most important, because it was then that Sasuke made the connection he had been too emotional to make before.

_23 October 1880_

_I'm so nervous…tomorrow is the anniversary of that day, the day I made the worst mistake of my life. Every year on that day I am overcome with shame and regret, but this year I feel a new emotion: fear. I don't know why, but my instincts are telling me to be cautious. I think it's because of my last interaction with Jiraiya…he left with anger and bitterness in his heart. I'm afraid that anger has turned to hate for me. I can understand if Jiraiya hates me…I'm just afraid that he may put his hate into action._

_I might be overreacting, and maybe I'm just paranoid. But if my foolish actions put my family in danger, I will never forgive myself. Please God, give me strength and courage…because I really need it._

The diary hit the floor at the same moment that pain and rage replaced the blood in Sasuke's veins. How could he have not noticed before? The date that his mother had an affair with Jiraiya was the same date that his parents were murdered.

There was no doubt about it anymore. Jiraiya was the Whitechapel Slaughterer. Jiraiya murdered his mother and father.

xXx

1 Does anyone know what psychological term this refers to? I'll give you a hint – it deals with Sigmund Freud.

2 The "one love, one lifetime" line is actually from the song _All I Ask Of You_ from the 2004 movie version of the Phantom of the Opera.


	22. Ch 21 A Plan Gone Wrong

A/N: Hey everyone! I just recently returned from a vacation in Las Vegas, so that's why this is coming out later than I intended. But Vegas was very amazing and it was cool to watch The Hangover afterwards and say "hey, I saw all those places!" XD But yeah, school started today, so my updates will probably be more drawn out. Thank you all for your patience and I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 21: A Plan Gone Wrong

_Saturday, 5 November 1888 – 11:00 AM_

Sakura knew something was wrong the moment Sasuke stepped down from the coach and into her arms. His muscles were tense and his arms stiff when he returned her hug. But that wasn't the main indicator of his mood; it was his eyes. His coal eyes were burning. There was such an intense hatred and pain smoldering in his eyes that Sakura stepped back, afraid of being burned.

"Sasuke," she whispered, "what's wrong?"

"That traitor," Sasuke hissed, venom lacing his words. "He murdered my parents and then pretended to be a good guy, pretended to be the victim. That bastard!"

"Who?" Sakura asked, gently holding his arm. "Who murdered your parents?"

He spat out the name as if it was the name of Satan himself. "Jiraiya."

Sakura gasped, clapping her hand to her mouth in shock. "Sasuke, are you sure?"

"Sakura, it was in my mother's diaries. She was Jiraiya's psychiatrist. Things got out of hand and she…she slept with him. She loved him, Sakura. I could tell. But she didn't want to destroy our family, so she stopped seeing him. After that for the next twelve years there were multiple ripped out pages, and in the last entry my mother wrote, she said she was scared. Jiraiya was angry at her for some reason and she was afraid that he would hurt her." Sasuke took a deep breath and his anger flared with the next sentence. "The date my mother and Jiraiya slept together is the same date that my parents were murdered, October 24th. That can't be a coincidence – the bastard fucking murdered them!"

Tears welled in Sakura's eyes and her grip on Sasuke's arm tightened. "Sasuke…I'm so sorry." She didn't know what else to say so she buried her face in his chest, clutching him tightly. "I'm so sorry."

"And to think he has the nerve to even _look_ at me and Itachi, knowing what he did. It disgusts me. He won't get away with this. My parents _will_ have justice."

Sakura winced as Sasuke's arms tightened around her painfully. "That's so horrible…I can't believe it. He always seemed so kind and fatherly…to think he was capable of doing something so terrible."

"Oh, don't worry, there's more," Sasuke replied bitterly. "Jiraiya has connections to both Tsunade and Shizune. He could've killed Tsunade out of anger because of the divorce, and in my mother's diaries I discovered that he was in a brief relationship with Shizune until she left him. He could very well be Jack the Ripper, if it weren't for his damned alibis."

Sakura's fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt tightly and she leaned back to give him a terrified look. "Sasuke…how will Naruto take this?"

The flames of Sasuke's anger were snuffed out immediately. Naruto…this would be horrible for him. The blonde, being an orphan his entire life, didn't know his family. Iruka and Jiraiya were the closest things to father-figures he had. Sasuke's news would crush him.

"We have to tell him – he needs to know the truth," Sasuke said firmly.

"Yes, but…" Sakura bit her lip in indecision. "Tell him the truth, don't sugarcoat it, but tell him gently. Please."

"I'll try."

They both went inside and found Naruto plopped on the couch, drumming his fingers impatiently. His eyes lit up when he saw them. "Finally! I was letting you two have a moment alone, but man, you took forever!" His wide grin faltered at the sight of the serious expressions they wore. "What's wrong?"

Sakura went to sit beside him on the couch, creating a filter between him and Sasuke's anger. She gently laid a hand on his. "Naruto, Sasuke discovered something important that you need to know. It's going to be difficult to handle, but please try to understand."

Naruto frowned, worry filling his sky-blue eyes. "What is it, Sasuke?"

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke tried to force his anger down so that he could tell Naruto only the facts. "When I went back home, I found my mother's diaries. Through them I discovered that Jiraiya was one of my mother's patients, and he was seeking help for his depression over Tsunade's divorce." He paused briefly to examine Naruto's expression. The blonde seemed surprised, but other than that he was fine. "Well, my mother…fell in love with Jiraiya. One thing led to another and…she slept with him."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "Woah…that's so…woah. It's hard to wrap my mind around. I knew Jiraiya was pervy, but to think he would hit on your mom…I'm sorry, Sasuke."

Sasuke, still standing, clenched his fists, preparing for the worst part. "There's more, Naruto. My mom didn't want to hurt our family so she distanced herself from Jiraiya. Throughout the diary there were a lot of ripped-out pages, and the last entry my mother wrote alluded to one of those pages. She wrote that something she said or did to Jiraiya made him angry, and she was afraid he might hurt her." Inhaling a shaky breath, Sasuke squashed the fury that was threatening to explode inside of him. "The date my parents were killed, October 24th, is the same date that Jiraiya and my mom slept together. He murdered my parents, Naruto. I don't have a doubt in my mind."

Hurt and anger flashed in Naruto's eyes. "That can't be true! I've known Jiraiya my entire life and I _know_ that he would never kill anyone! Sure, the diary makes him seem suspicious, but it's not solid evidence. You're only creating a theory!"

Sakura opened her mouth to try to soothe Naruto, but Sasuke interrupted her. "There's something else too, Naruto. Let me finish and then you can be upset. Jiraiya has possible motives to kill both Tsunade and Shizune. He was angry and hurt because of Tsunade's divorce, so he went to Shizune for comfort. They were in a short relationship but Shizune left him because she thought he was using her. Also, Jiraiya was a hospital surgeon, so –"

"So now you're saying that Jiraiya is Jack the Ripper, too?" Naruto accused angrily. "These are all theories and conjectures! You're talking as if you're one-hundred percent sure of everything you're saying, but these are all incomplete connect-the-dots. You call yourself a detective but you can't even do it right!"

Sasuke wasn't surprised – he expected Naruto to be upset – but Naruto's words were like a punch to the gut. His anger at Jiraiya quickly transformed into irritation at Naruto. "They may be theories and conjectures, but they're not baseless. They have evidence to back them up; you can't deny that there's reasonable suspicion. I'm sorry about Jiraiya, Naruto. I know he's important to you and I wouldn't accuse him if I wasn't sure."

Naruto jumped to his feet, shaking off Sakura's comforting hand. "Yeah right! You've never liked Jiraiya, you told me yourself, so it must be all too easy to put the blame on him!"

Sasuke stepped toward Naruto threateningly. "You're blinded by your connection to him, Naruto! You refuse to see what we see!"

Laughing bitterly, Naruto aimed a glare at his friend. "Blinded by connections? Doesn't that sound familiar? Let's remember where Itachi is right now…oh, that's right! He's being held as a murder suspect! All the evidence points against him, but _you_ insist that he's innocent! Hypocritical much?"

Sasuke snarled and stepped close to Naruto, his fingers twitching dangerously. "Are you saying that my brother is a murderer, Naruto?"

Sakura stood up quickly and tried to pry the two apart. "Naruto, Sasuke, calm down. Let's just talk about it –"

They both ignored her. "Maybe I am saying that, Sasuke. You said that my father-figure is a murderer, so it's only fair that I return the favor."

Sasuke lost it. He roughly grabbed Naruto's collar and threw him into the coffee table, ignoring Sakura's scream. Naruto's side rammed into the table and he fell over it, letting out a grunt of pain. He quickly jumped to his feet and leaped at Sasuke, shoving him toward the wall. Sasuke hit the wall hard and his head throbbed with pain. Pushing himself away from it, he started toward Naruto with a growl.

Sakura yelled something but neither man heard it. Time seemed to move in slow motion as Sasuke's fist flew at Naruto's face and Naruto's flew toward Sasuke's face. Then something horrible happened. Pink hair and green eyes blocked both men's vision, but they couldn't stop their forward momentum. Blue and black eyes widened in mutual horror at the feel of soft skin under their fists and the sound of solid bone hitting bone. Sakura screamed in pain.

Then time moved normally again. Sakura fell to her knees crying while Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other in terror. "Sasuke," Naruto whispered. "What have we done?"

Sasuke crouched down and touched Sakura's shoulders gently. "Oh God, I'm so sorry, Sakura. This is my fault, I should've controlled myself. Are you alright?"

Sakura's hands covered her face but there was blood leaking through her fingers. Tears streamed down her chin. Naruto touched her hands softly. "I'm sorry, Sakura. I was stupid, I'm sorry. Let me see so I can help you."

Shaking her head in refusal, Sakura pressed her hands to her face with a surprisingly strong grip despite the men's attempts to move them. Sasuke leaned back in defeat. "She's not going to let us help her, but she needs medical attention. Let's take her to Kabuto."

Naruto nodded and he and Sasuke slowly helped Sakura to her feet, muttering reassuring words as they led her to the door. Naruto then sprinted outside to hail down a coach while Sasuke wrapped a coat around her shaking shoulders.

"It's going to be alright, Sakura," Sasuke whispered. "Kabuto will help you."

Naruto returned and the two of them helped Sakura into the coach. The short ride to the headquarters was filled with an awkward and worried silence; no one spoke. When they arrived Sasuke led them around to the back entrance so as to avoid unwanted attention. Since it was a Saturday Kabuto might not be there, but Sasuke was too stressed earlier to think about it. He hoped Kabuto was there…

Sasuke nearly sighed in relief when he saw Kabuto hunched over his desk in his small office. Kabuto looked up in surprise when the three entered. "Sasuke, what happened?"

"It was an accident," Sasuke breathed, panting. "Naruto and I were fighting and it got out of control and Sakura stepped between us and…we couldn't stop."

Kabuto nodded slowly as Sasuke and Naruto stared at their feet in shame. "I'll need to look at her in the morgue; all my tools are there. You two can follow."

Taking Sakura's arm with the gentle firmness of a doctor, Kabuto led her to the morgue with Naruto and Sasuke trailing behind. He asked them to wait outside while he treated Sakura, and the two obediently leaned against the wall to the left and right of the door. With Sakura's presence missing, the silence was even more awkward and tense than before. Neither said a word or even looked at each other until Kabuto reappeared five minutes later.

"Is she alright?" Naruto asked eagerly.

"What injuries does she have?" Sasuke demanded.

"Easy," Kabuto said calmly. "Sakura will be fine. As for her injuries, she has a pretty bad black eye and she took a hard hit to the nose, so it's bleeding profusely. But I applied a poultice to her eye that will help stop the swelling and gave her some medication that will help clot the blood in her nose."

Sasuke and Naruto both sighed in relief while simultaneously grimacing. Sasuke reluctantly wondered which wound he gave Sakura and which on Naruto gave.

"I can't believe we did that to her," Naruto said, his hands curling into fists. "She doesn't deserve it. We were stupid."

Sasuke agreed. "We should've been able to control ourselves better. We acted like we were in grade school."

"Well, the reason we make mistakes is so that we can learn from them," Kabuto reminded helpfully. "You both need to learn to control your anger better. And while you're at it, you might want to learn to suck-up too, because Sakura is not happy with you two."

Sasuke and Naruto flinched. "Yeah, well we deserve it," Naruto mumbled. Sasuke nodded his agreement.  
"I need to go back and finish taking care of Sakura, and while I do I suggest that you two settle your differences." Kabuto gave them each a firm look before disappearing into the morgue.

Then silence descended again. Both men were too proud to be the first to apologize, so they decided to skip the apologizing altogether. Leaning against their separate walls split by the door, they stared at the floor stubbornly.

"Look…" they said simultaneously. Blinking, they looked at each other in surprise.

"You go first," Naruto said stubbornly.

Sasuke sighed. "Fine. Look, you know that I didn't bring up Jiraiya just to soil his name. It's true that I don't like him, but I'm not so petty that I would falsely accuse him. It's just…" He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm at the end of my line, Naruto. I really don't know where else I can go from here, so I'm following the only lead I have, and that's Jiraiya."

Naruto turned to look at Sasuke with a frown. "I know you wouldn't accuse him unless you had a reason to and I know I've been biased. It's just…hard. Jiraiya is like a father to me, so I don't want to think of him as capable of being a killer." He paused. "And I'm sorry for what I said about Itachi. You know I don't believe he killed anyone. I was just angry."

"I know," Sasuke said quietly.

It was quiet for a few moments, but the tension was gone.

"I propose a challenge," Naruto said suddenly. "You said Jiraiya may be both the Whitechapel Slaughterer and Jack the Ripper, right? Well, I want you to prove it, and at the same time I'm going to try to prove his innocence."1

Sasuke bit down his comment that his mother's diaries were proof enough for him. "How?"

Naruto smiled mischievously. "We're going to sneak into Jiraiya's house and look around for anything that may implicate him in the crimes. If we find something, you win. If we find nothing, I win."

Sasuke perked up. That wasn't a bad idea. "I accept your challenge. However, it's easier said than done. How are we going to sneak in?"

Naruto chewed his lip in thought. "We would have to wait until he was gone or we would have to find some way to get him out of the house…" Suddenly a gas lamp went off above Naruto's head. "Oh, I know! Jiraiya comes over to our house for dinner sometimes, so what if I invite him over and keep him busy while you search his house? That way I could make sure you would have plenty of time."

"Naruto, that's brilliant!" Sasuke praised. "The only problem is how would I get into his house? I don't know how to pick a lock."

Naruto grinned. "You don't, but I do! I can teach you."

"Somehow you always surprise me," Sasuke said, returning the grin. Then his grin fell with a sudden thought. "What about Sakura?"

"Oh yeah. Hmm."

"Well, I don't want her to be at the orphanage when Jiraiya is there. I know that she'll be safe with you and Iruka, but _if_ Jiraiya is Jack the Ripper," Sasuke said carefully, "I don't want to take any chances."

Naruto frowned at the implication of Sasuke's words but didn't comment. "What if she helps us? If I'm distracting Jiraiya and you're searching his house, we need someone to be a look-out. Sakura can hide near the house and keep watch, and if Jiraiya comes back she can give a signal so you know to get out."

If they went with that plan then Sakura should be relatively safe. "Alright, as long as Sakura is okay with it. When should we do it? Tonight?"

"Maybe…it depends on how Sakura is feeling."

Guilt flooded them again and it was only intensified by the reappearance of Sakura and Kabuto. She was holding a blood-soaked cloth to her nose and there was another white cloth tied around her head so that it covered her black eye like an eye patch. The part of the cloth that pressed against her eye looked slightly damp and discolored, probably from the poultice that Kabuto applied.

"Here, you'll need these," Kabuto said, handing Sasuke a jar of cream-colored substance and a small bottle of pills. "The jar holds the poultice that you'll need to apply to her eye twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. It will reduce the swelling and help with the discoloration from the bruising. Every time you apply it you'll also need to change her bandage. As for her nose, it should be fine since there's no permanent damage, just be careful. If her nose is bumped or hit it might start bleeding again, so just give her one of these blood-clotting pills if it bleeds a lot."

Sasuke clutched the objects in his hand gratefully. "Thank you so much, Kabuto. I don't know how to repay you."

Kabuto smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "Please, tearing me away from my paperwork for a little while was repayment enough. Unfortunately though, I have to return to it. Be careful and treat her gently." He waved before turning to head back to his office.

"Thank God for Kabuto," Sasuke mumbled before turning his attention to Sakura. "Are you feeling better?"

She looked at him but refused to answer, so Naruto tried instead. "Sakura, why won't you talk to us? I know we were stupid and we feel horrible, but we want to make it up to you."

When Sakura yet again refused to answer Sasuke sighed in defeat. "Let's give her space, Naruto. She's probably angry at us."

Then Sakura exploded. "Angry? Of course I'm angry! Why the hell did you two morons get into a fist-fight? If one of you got seriously injured how would we ever catch Jack the Ripper? Honestly!"

Silence. Naruto and Sasuke exchanged stupefied glances, their mouths hanging open stupidly. "Wait, you're angry at us for almost hurting each other?" Naruto asked in disbelief. "What about what we did to _you_?"

Sakura huffed and rolled her visible eye. "Well yes, it hurts, but that was the only way to make you both come to your senses! Neither of you were thinking at all, were you?"

Sasuke didn't know what to say. How does one respond to something like that? "We're sorry," Sasuke said dumbly.

"If you're really sorry, you'll think before you act next time," Sakura said sternly.

Naruto and Sasuke shared exasperated glances and shrugged. Women.

During the ride home Sakura was calmer but she still fumed a little. Naruto therefore took it upon himself to lighten the mood.

"Hey, Sakura. I don't know if you noticed, but you kind of look like a pirate with that on."

Sasuke sighed and cursed Naruto's stupidity while Sakura look at Naruto with a blank expression. Then Sakura giggled.

"You're right, I kind of do," she said between giggles.

Naruto grinned, his shoulders sagging in relief. "See, I know just what to say." Then Sakura whacked him on the head. "Ouch!"

She shot him a dangerous look. "You better be saying that because I'm a pretty pirate and not because it makes me look ugly."

Naruto whined and tried to reassure Sakura while Sasuke chuckled. "What was that about knowing just what to say?"

"Shut up, Sasuke."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

After the three returned to the orphanage and situated themselves in the living room, Naruto and Sasuke explained their plan to Sakura.

"When do you intend to do this?" she asked.

"Tonight, if we can," Sasuke replied.

"But won't that be pretty last-minute? You have to ask Iruka and he won't get home until after six," Sakura pointed out.

"That's true…" Naruto frowned.

"Also, you have to teach Sasuke how to lock-pick, and I don't think even he can become skilled at it with only a few hours of training."

Sasuke seemed slightly offended. "Watch me."

Ignoring him, Sakura explained her idea further. "Naruto, you teach Sasuke how to lock-pick today and tomorrow. Then, when Iruka gets home, ask him if Jiraiya can come over for dinner tomorrow. You can then go invite Jiraiya and figure out where I should hide to keep watch. Tomorrow we'll do the rest of it as you two planned."

Naruto grinned. "What would we do without you, Sakura?"

Blushing and smiling, Sakura replied, "Crash and burn, that's what." Then she frowned. "Speaking of crashing and burning, there's another problem with our plan. What kind of signal am I supposed to give if I see anyone? I can't yell or make a loud noise because they would hear me."

"Hmm." Sasuke ran scenarios through his mind, trying to find one that would work and also keep Sakura safe. "What if we use light? It's soundless. You hide across from the side of the house rather than the front, but so that you can still see the front. Take a lantern with you but don't light it, and if Jiraiya comes wait until he reaches the front door and can't see you then light the lantern and I'll know to leave."

Sakura seemed hesitant. "Using light is a good idea, but if I wait until you get to the front door, you won't have enough time to get out."

He knew that, but it was a risk he would have to take. "How about I explore the rooms farthest from the backdoor first and then stay close to the backdoor near the end so I can escape quicker?" Sasuke proposed, trying to reassure her.

Sakura bit her lip – Sasuke could tell that she didn't completely like it – and nodded. "Alright. So do we have it all completely figured out now?"

"I think so," Sasuke replied. "Now I just need to learn how to lock-pick."

Grinning, Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "Prepare to come under the tutelage of the magnificent Naruto Smith!"

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke smirked. "Whatever, moron. Let's do this."

To Sasuke's surprise, Naruto was actually a good teacher. He explained the process in a simple way, relating the steps to other processes, objects, and animals, which made the learning more humorous and enjoyable. To Naruto's chagrin, however, Sasuke mastered every step after seeing it only once, which led Naruto to introduce Sasuke to even more difficult locks.

As Sasuke was working on the lock on the orphanage's front door with Naruto's pick set, he became curious as to how Naruto knew how to do it in the first place. "Where did you learn this?"

"Same as you – a friend taught me," Naruto replied, observing Sasuke's technique carefully. "As you know, I lived on the streets before Iruka found me, so I couldn't always obtain food legally. A fellow orphan taught me how to lock-pick and gave me a crude set so that I could sneak in and out of houses and shops without having to break windows or anything. If it wasn't for him, I might've starved to death before Iruka could even find me."

Sasuke listened to Naruto's story intently but didn't reply. There was such a big difference in the way the two were raised. Sasuke had a loving family and was given everything he wanted, while Naruto was considered scum by all around him and had to fight to survive. Yes, Sasuke's parents were murdered, but Naruto never even know his family. Sasuke frowned. He wondered if Naruto ever hated him sometimes, hated him for having everything and then complaining. Naruto was so positive all the time…Sasuke really envied him sometimes…2

"You did it," Naruto suddenly said, tearing Sasuke from his thoughts. "It took me hours to finally open this lock, and you did it in a matter of minutes. You really are a genius."

Naruto was smiling but Sasuke could hear the bitterness lacing his words. Feeling guilty, he said, "No, not really. It's only because I had such a good teacher."

Grinning, Naruto punched him in the shoulder. "Flattery will get you nowhere! Although it is true."

Sasuke snorted. "Never mind, I take it back."

Iruka returned home shortly after they finished and while Naruto asked Iruka about Jiraiya, Sasuke took Sakura upstairs to change her bandages.

"I can do it myself," Sakura objected when Sasuke attempted to untie the cloth.

"I know, but it's the least I can do. After all, I'm the one who did it to you." Sasuke resumed untying the cloth until he was stopped again.

"No, really, I'll do it," Sakura insisted stubbornly.

Sighing, Sasuke backed away. "Alright."

But Sakura didn't move, only fidgeted uncomfortably and avoided his eyes. "I don't mean to be rude, but can I do it alone, please?"

Now Sasuke knew something was wrong. "What's the matter?"

Sakura seemed hesitant but she reluctantly told him. "I don't want you to see me like this. I'm ugly."

Taken aback, he stared at her in surprise. Then he snorted, much to Sakura's chagrin. "Sakura, please. It'll take a lot more than a black eye to make you look ugly. Do you really think I'm that vain?"

Sakura knotted her fingers together and stared down at them in resignation. "Well, no…"

"Good. Now let me see, please," he coaxed gently.

Slowly, Sakura untied the knot and pulled the cloth away from her face, keeping her eyes closed. Sasuke's chest twisted painfully at the sight – this was his fault. Her eye was a mix of black, purple, and yellow, and it was swollen shut. However, the swelling wasn't as bad as it could've been, thanks to Kabuto's poultice. There was also yellow pus leaking from her eye. It looked painful, and a fresh wave of guilt overcame Sasuke.

"Isn't it horrible?" Sakura asked after seeing Sasuke's facial expression.

He wasn't going to lie to her. "Yes, it does look pretty horrible," he said honestly.

"See! I told you," Sakura muttered, turning her head away in shame.

Gently taking her face in his hands, Sasuke turned her to face him. "Sakura, I said that your eye looks horrible. The rest of you, however, is just as beautiful as always."

Sakura's mouth twisted as if she didn't know whether to smile or frown. "So a part of me is ugly," she insisted stubbornly. "

Sasuke sighed. Women. "Do you remember that one time, years ago, when you, Naruto, and I were playing tag in the streets and I slipped and fell on broken glass? My knee was totally mutilated and it got infected. Remember, it was brown and green and had strange pus oozing from it?"

"Yeah, it was disgusting," she said, crinkling her nose at the memory. "But that was your knee, not your face. It's different."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I give up. Let me just put this stuff on you and get it over with." Sakura was silent as Sasuke gently spread the cream-colored substance on her eye and tied a fresh, clean bandage around her head. She waited until after he washed his hands to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him in for a kiss.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Smiling, he replied, "You're welcome," and then pulled her close to kiss her again.

"Ahem." The two broke apart at the sound of Naruto's voice, blushing fiercely. He was smirking in a knowing way, arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe. "Would you two like to resume your snogging, or do you want to hear my good news?"

Sasuke glared at him. "Just tell us."

"Well, Iruka said it's fine to have Jiraiya over for dinner tomorrow. I'm going to go over soon and invite him, and I'll be sure to escort him here tomorrow so that he doesn't accidentally get in your way. But that's boring." Naruto grinned. "The good news is that Iruka wants to prepare a special dinner for Jiraiya, so I'll be eating lamb tomorrow! Cha ching!"

Sakura laughed as Naruto pumped his fist in the air while Sasuke rolled his eyes. "So now we wait?" he asked.

"So now we wait."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Sunday, 6 November 1888 – 7:00 PM_

The waiting was excruciating. The three tried to occupy themselves by playing card games, grocery shopping for Iruka, and scouting out the route to Jiraiya's house, but the activities did little to distract Sasuke. He tried to practice lock-picking for a couple hours, but since he'd already basically mastered it his attention was not held for long. Sakura continually reminded him that patience was a virtue, but impatience had always been his vice.

He nearly sighed in relief when Iruka returned home. That meant it was almost time. They helped him prepare the dinner consisting of lamb, potatoes, broccoli, and tomato soup. When it was nearly done Iruka told Naruto to go get Jiraiya.

It was time.

Though no one said anything, they knew that they were all nervous. Naruto fidgeted and shuffled his feet, Sasuke continually clenched and unclenched his fists, and Sakura's fingers kept slipping as she tied her boots and buttoned up her jacket. They were scared. Afraid of getting caught. Afraid of what they might discover. The truth would mean disaster no matter which way it went. If Jiraiya was Jack the Ripper, then it would be a horrible betrayal to Naruto and everyone else. If he wasn't the Ripper, then Sasuke would reach a dead end and the world would never know who murdered these women. There would be no justice for them or his parents.

Sasuke needed to know. This plan had to go right.

Before they left, they checked that everything was in place. Sakura had a lantern and matches and she knew what to do. Sasuke had Naruto's lock-pick set. Sasuke and Sakura's alibi was that Sasuke wanted to take her out to dinner for just the two of them. Iruka smiled slyly when Sasuke told him this and informed him of a nice restaurant in a better part of London, slipping some extra money in his pocket while he spoke. Sasuke felt guilty now and promised to use the money to do just that later, when all of this was over.

Naruto silently led them through the cold, dark streets, telling them to memorize it as this was the path he and Jiraiya would be returning on. It wouldn't be good for them to run into each other on the way back. When they finally reached Jiraiya's house, tall and menacing in the glow of the gas lamps, it was time for them to part ways.

"Alright, you two stay here," Naruto said, positioning them on a median strip that separated the cobblestone streets. There were a few tall trees on the strip that Sakura and Sasuke could hide behind easily. There were no gas lamps right next to them, so the area was relatively dark. "Ok, let me check if I can see you." Naruto walked up and down the street, looking at the strip from different positions. "Alright, you guys should be good as long as you don't move."

Sasuke was glad to see that there were multiple windows on the side of the house facing them. "I should be able to see your lantern from any of these windows. I'll be fine," Sasuke reassured Sakura.

"I need to go get him now." Naruto grasped Sakura's hand gently and smiled. "Be careful," he told her. Then he turned to Sasuke, his smile fading. Grasping his shoulder, Naruto squeezed it quickly before letting go. "And you, bastard, do what you have to do, but don't be reckless."

Sasuke smirked. "Me? Reckless? Don't worry about me. Just make sure you do your job right, moron."

Naruto grinned before moving away, becoming a dark shape against the house. Sasuke and Sakura pressed against the trees, quiet and still. There was a flash of light as the door opened and Naruto and Jiraiya's voices could be heard. There was a laugh and then the light disappeared. Sasuke could hear the door being locked before two sets of footsteps approached them. This was the first test.

"You know, Naruto, I really don't need an escort. I'm a grown man," Jiraiya's deep voice boomed.

"Well, I have to make sure that you don't get distracted by any pretty ladies on the way there," Naruto teased. "Then you would never get there and the food would get cold."

Jiraiya's laugh was too close. Sasuke shivered as they passed by their hiding place. "It's nearly 7:30 at night. What pretty ladies would be out on a cold night like this?"

Sasuke's shoulders slumped in relief as the footsteps became farther away, but he didn't move. They had to wait until they couldn't hear Naruto and Jiraiya at all. Sasuke and Sakura stood still for another five minutes until they were sure they were safe.

"Alright, time to move," Sasuke mumbled, knowing time was of the essence.

Sakura grabbed his hand before he could leave. Her emerald eyes were filled with worry and fear. "Be careful, Sasuke. I really don't know what will happen if anyone catches you."

_Well, that would depend on what I find in there_, Sasuke thought, but chose not to mention that to Sakura. "I will."

She leaned up and kissed him meaningfully. "Go."

Glancing down the street to make sure that no one was around, Sasuke quickly darted over to the front door and unwrapped Naruto's lock picks. Jiraiya's lock was complex and more difficult than the ones at the orphanage, but Sasuke got it after a few tries. Looking around once more, he flashed Sakura a thumbs up, hoping she could see it, and slipped inside. He made sure to lock the door behind him.

The silence and the darkness of the house slipped into his pores and filled his body with a prickling cold feeling. If his suspicions were correct, then he was standing inside the house of Jack the Ripper. A shudder ran through him and he forced the thought from his mind.

"There's no time to waste. I'll start with the upstairs rooms on the far side first," he said aloud to break the eerie silence. He ascended the fancy carpeted staircase and ended up in a hallway with four closed doors. Starting with the one nearest him, Sasuke checked every door. Two of them were simple but nice-looking guest bedrooms which Sasuke skipped over while another one was a washroom. The room across from the washroom was locked, and he thought it might be Jiraiya's room.

The lock on the door was simple and Sasuke picked it easily. He entered the room and was greeted by elegant furniture and a large portrait of Jiraiya and Tsunade on the wall. Jackpot.

"This is probably the most private and personal room in the house. If there's anything convicting Jiraiya, it will be in here," Sasuke mumbled. He searched through his pocket for his matchbox and carefully lit the bedside lamp, allowing light to flood the room. Much better. Now that he could make out details, he decided to start with the bedside tables first. There were two, one on each side of the black silken-sheeted bed, and they both had four drawers. Every drawer was locked. "He either likes his privacy, or he has something to hide."

Then a horrible thought struck him. Naruto had only taught him how to pick door locks. Other locks might be different. Well, it was worth a try. He used the picks on every drawer, but he couldn't get a single one open. As he thought, the set-up of the locks was much different than what he had practiced.

"Shit." Frustration and worry began to work their way out. What if the evidence he needed was locked away in these drawers, or locked away in other places? He shook his head roughly. No time, keep moving. Dropping to his hands and knees, he peered under the bed, but all he saw were a few abandoned socks. Rising to his feet, he glanced around the room. There was a bookshelf, but Sasuke didn't see any importance in it so he skipped over to the dresser. There could be something hidden in there, but he didn't want to rifle through the clothes and make it obvious that he'd been there. Which left the closet.

The closet door, thankfully, wasn't locked and Sasuke opened it to reveal a spacious room. Nice suits hung from hangers and leather shoes filled boxes on the floor. Other miscellaneous boxes were stacked in the far corners. Sasuke headed for these, opening them and sifting delicately through the contents. There were knick-knacks and pamphlets from foreign countries and multiple photo albums and stamp books. Sasuke replaced the contents just the way they were and exited the closet.

He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but a diary or journal of some sort seemed like his best bet. He eyed the bedside tables in irritation before looking up at the portrait of Jiraiya and Tsunade. It was well-done and looked nearly life-like, but Sasuke wondered why Jiraiya hadn't taken it down after the divorce. Then a crazy idea struck him. "I have to stop reading cheap mystery novels," Sasuke muttered before giving into his curiosity He walked over to the wall and, standing on his tip-toes, pulled the portrait off of its hook.

His jaw nearly fell open in surprise. "I can't believe I'm right…" There was a black safe set into the wall where the portrait once hung. Sasuke had the passing thought that Sherlock Holmes would be proud. Then he realized the problem: he didn't know the combination.

"Agh!" He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Everything he needed could be right in front of him, but he couldn't reach it! He knew he didn't have time to mess with the combination, but there was one thing he wanted to try…Twisting the knob, he entered the number combination of 10-24-67 and pulled the handle. Nothing. Sasuke frowned; he was sure that the date of his mother and Jiraiya's night together would work. A little voice in the back of his mind urged him to move along, but his fingers were already moving toward the knob again. He had one more idea. The numbers 8-31-88, the date of Tsunade's death, were entered and the handle pulled once again. Still nothing.

Sighing, Sasuke surrendered. He would come back if he found nothing else, but now he needed to move on. Placing the portrait back on its hook, he surveyed the room once more to make sure he left nothing out of place. Then he blew out the lamp, locked the door, and headed downstairs. As he walked through the rooms, he made a mental list. "I can skip the living room, the kitchen, the dining room, and the washroom," he said. "Which leaves the closet and this last room…"

Peering out the window, he could breathe easier knowing that Sakura hadn't lit the lantern yet. He still had time.

Sasuke decided the check the closed door by the staircase first. He wasn't even surprised when the handle was stiff and unrelenting. Pulling out the lock-pick set, he worked on the door while mentally thanking Naruto for teaching him, knowing he wouldn't have gotten anywhere without the knowledge. The lock popped open easily and he went inside. The room turned out to be Jiraiya's office. There was a large mahogany desk in the center of the room and on the desk was a table lamp, a shiny black typewriter, and a pen and ink set. He lit the lamp so that he could better make out the objects on the desk.

Wait. There was something about the pen and ink set that caught Sasuke's eye. He went closer and picked up the bottle of ink; it was red. The letters that were sent to the police were written in red ink.

"That's not good enough," Sasuke muttered, forcing himself to think more clearly. "Dozens of people write in red ink. This won't prove anything." Unless there was a way to test and see if the ink from the letter came from this particular bottle. Sasuke hesitated, weighing the pros and cons. He could take the bottle just in case. Surely Jiraiya would simply think that he had misplaced it. There was no way for him to know that it was Sasuke, either.

His decision made, Sasuke pocketed the ink bottle and proceeded to check the drawers of the desk. Yet again, they were locked, but Sasuke tried to pick them just for the hell of it. He wasn't surprised when it didn't work. Looking around, he saw nothing else of interest in the office and left, blowing out the lamp and locking the door again.

He glanced outside and when he saw no light he proceeded to check the closet. Nothing important in there, only coats, scarves, boots, and a few umbrellas. Sasuke bit his lip as fear and unease began to spread within him. He'd checked all of the places he thought Jiraiya would hide something in. The locked drawers and the safe were his last resorts.

Sakura still hadn't lit the lantern, so Sasuke decided to take his chances. He darted up the stairs quickly and picked the bedroom lock again before proceeding to hastily light the table lamp. Removing the portrait less gently this time, he threw it on the bed and hurriedly started trying combinations. He entered the dates of Shizune's, Kurenai's, and Temari's deaths, but none of those worked. Growling in frustration, he cursed himself for not knowing Jiraiya's birthday or the date of Jiraiya and Tsunade's wedding anniversary. He didn't know what else it could be…

Paranoia slowly crept up on him and Sasuke dashed downstairs to look out the window. His heart nearly skipped a beat. Sakura's lantern was lit and she was waving it back and forth urgently. Shit. How long had she been doing that?

The sound of male voices outside the front door stabbed into his ears like needles. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead and his knees trembled. The portrait was on the bed and Jiraiya's door was still open. He would know someone had been there.

The key turned in the lock with a metallic clinking noise. There was no time to go back and no time to make it to the back door. Sasuke acted on his instincts, sprinting toward the downstairs closet. He closed himself inside it at the same moment that the front door opened.

Sasuke clasped a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stifle his gasping breaths. Light streamed under the closet door and with it came muffled voices. Sasuke couldn't make them out yet, but he assumed that one of them belonged to Jiraiya. Their voices became louder and clearer as they walked closer and Sasuke hoped they couldn't hear the frantic beating of his heart.

"I was waiting out there for a little while. What took you so long, Jiraiya?" a silky voice asked. Sasuke nearly gasped – Orochimaru!

"I'm sorry, I was held up at a friend's house," Jiraiya replied. His voice suddenly turned serious. "So, how are we?"

"Itachi will no longer be a threat and I haven't seen his silly little brother around for a few days. With them out of the way and Inspectors Kakashi and Shikamaru oblivious, I hold the police in the palm of my hand. You have complete freedom," Orochimaru hissed confidently.

"So no one will interrupt me? This one has to be perfect, Orochimaru. My final and best one."

"Where do you intend to do it?"

"In her room. I'll come at night when she's sleeping. I'll need a lot of time and space for this." Jiraiya's voice had a dark, wavering edge to it.

"Very well. It doesn't matter to me how you kill the girl, as long as you erase all traces of yourself."

Sasuke couldn't breathe. His fists tightened and his eyes grew wide. They were talking about Sakura.

"No need to worry about that. I've done well so far, haven't I?"

"Yes, you're right, for the most part." There was a pause. "But how can you guarantee she'll be in her room?"

"I'll watch her. She can't escape me. This has to go perfectly."

A mix of fear and loathing swirled inside Sasuke. That bastard did it! He murdered his parents and Sakura's friends and he intended to kill Sakura too! And that slimy snake helped him do it!

"It will go perfectly, but you must be patient and listen to me." Orochimaru sighed. "This conversation would go much better with a bottle of aged wine, don't you think, Jiraiya?"

"Yes, indeed. I'll go down to the cellar and grab one," Jiraiya agreed. Sasuke heard his heavy footsteps grow fainter and then a door squeak open. He listened intently; this might be his chance. Softer footsteps then sounded, padding away from the closet and growing quieter.

Sasuke didn't hesitate. He cracked open the door and peeked out; the coast was clear. Moving swiftly but silently, Sasuke headed for the back door, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He turned into a hallway and saw the exit at the end. Relief flooded him and he dashed toward it only to come face-to-face with Orochimaru as he stepped out of a side-door.

Orochimaru seemed just as surprised as Sasuke but his shock quickly disappeared and was replaced with a smirk. "Well, well, it seems like we have a little rat…" Sasuke was frozen, terror coursing through him. "…eh, Jiraiya?"

Then Sasuke realized his mistake. He tried to turn around but it was too late. Something hard crashed down on his head and the last thing he saw was the floor before everything went black.

xXx

1 This is actually a slight, unintentional allusion to my other fanfiction, _Mission: Make Sasuke Smile!_

2 This is also an allusion to another one of my fanfics, _Who Has It Worse?_


	23. Ch 22 In the Den of a Murderer

A/N: Hey everyone! I'm terribly sorry that it's taken so long for me to update. I know I left it at a cliffhanger so the wait was twice as bad, but school and work has literally taken over my life. It's gotten kind of hard to manage my time. But here it is, finally, and I hope you all enjoy it!

Important Note: Somewhere along the line, I messed up my days of the week, so in the last chapter November 6th would be a Tuesday, not a Sunday. Sorry about that.

Warning: This chapter has more harsh language and derogatory terms for prostitutes than usual.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 22: In the Den of a Murderer

Consciousness was slow to come to Sasuke, but when it finally did, he almost wished it hadn't. Pain exploded in his head and he gritted his teeth in discomfort. Eyes still closed, he felt that he was lying on his side on a cold, hard surface and his wrists and ankles were bound tightly with rough rope. As he came to this realization, panic mixed with the memories that came flooding back to him. He was captured.

Forcing his heavy eyelids open, he cleared away the remaining grogginess from his mind and scanned his surroundings. The room was cold and damp and there were no windows. The only light came from a single lantern hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room. Multiple wooden racks stacked with bottles of wine lined the walls. He was probably inside Jiraiya's cellar.

Squirming uncomfortably, Sasuke managed to get into a sitting position and rested his back against the cold wall. However, the sudden movement sent pain shooting through his head and he clenched his eyes shut to try to block out some of it. When the spell passed, Sasuke reopened his eyes and looked around the room once more. Where were Jiraiya and Orochimaru? _How__long__have__I__been__out?_ he wondered. Fear started to creep along his spine. What about Sakura? What if she tried to come in and find him and Jiraiya got to her? His heartbeat began to quicken. If something happened to Sakura it was his fault. He couldn't have gone back to the safe; he should've left when he didn't find anything. Now who knew what could've happened while –

Muffled voices cut Sasuke off in mid-thought. He froze and listened intently; they were coming from the stairs. The door creaked open and light poured down the steps. Two men's shadows blocked the light before it disappeared entirely.

"The boy changes everything. Are you still going to do it on the ninth?" Orochimaru rasped, his light footsteps padding down the steps.

"Yes. This makes it easier. Now there is one less obstacle." Jiraiya's deep voice reached Sasuke's ears. His heavy footsteps thudded down the last step.

"Ah, so our little rat is awake," Orochimaru remarked with a smirk, his golden eyes locking onto Sasuke's. Sasuke glared back defiantly.

Jiraiya's mouth was set into a firm line. He was staring, those damn eyes were staring at Sasuke in that same ambiguous way that they always had. Like Sasuke was a confusing and interesting specimen, so strange that Jiraiya couldn't help but hold contempt for him. "So I saw that you were rifling through my stuff, boy," he said coldly. "What did you expect to find, besides a bottle of red ink?"

Sasuke's cheeks burned with both anger and embarrassment. "It doesn't matter what I was trying to find. Now my suspicions are confirmed. The Whitechapel Slaughterer and Jack the Ripper are one and the same. You murdered both my parents and those women, you bastard!"

Jiraiya's face hardened. "Yes, Jack the Ripper; the name you gave me."

Sasuke was taken aback by this observation. He narrowed his eyes and growled. "And to think you acted so innocent the entire time. A poor man whose ex-wife was murdered – everyone pitied you. It must've brought you such joy to know you were such a good liar."

Jiraiya wasn't fazed by the jab. "No…it brings me more joy to know that those whores will never soil the earth with their filth again."

Fury welled up within Sasuke at the straight-forward, uncompassionate statement. "You're disgusting," Sasuke spat. 'I've always hated you, and now I know the reason for my hate; somehow I always sensed the true monster that you really are."

Something flashed in Jiraiya's eyes but it disappeared when Orochimaru chuckled coldly. "So with Itachi detained you took the detective role upon yourself, hmm? Well, I must admit that I'm impressed, Sasuke dear. And I thought that I hid Jiraiya rather well. Tell me, what led you to this conclusion?"

Sasuke's glare never left Jiraiya. "My mother. It was all in her diaries. She proved that you murdered her and my father, all out of jealousy and spite. And those petty emotions prevailed again when it came to Tsunade and Shizune, didn't they? You sick bastard."

Dark eyes narrowed dangerously. "You think you're so clever, don't you, boy? You don't know anything!" Jiraiya growled.

"Correct me, then!" Sasuke challenged.

"They all betrayed me!" Jiraiya barked. "Tsunade…I gave her everything. I was always there to support her and take care of her, even when she didn't come home until the early hours of the morning because she was drinking and gambling. When we married I promised to love her forever…and I kept it. Even after we began to fight and she eventually left me, and even after I saw her on dates with other men…I loved her." Jiraiya's voice broke near the end and Sasuke was taken aback by the softness and intensity of his words. But then Jiraiya gritted his teeth and all of the tenderness disappeared and was replaced with hatred.

"But then she became a whore. Her two vices finally caught up with her, and she had to sell her virtues to stay alive. Had to sell herself like some cheap slut in order to afford bread," he spat. "And she chose it! There were other options…I offered her help. She didn't want to come back to me, so I tried to give her money and support. I was always there for her. But she refused. She wanted to do things on her own, so she chose to pleasure other men. And she probably enjoyed it, too." From underneath the hatred and the bitterness, a crazed look began to emerge on Jiraiya's face. "She became a miserable wretch and she aged twice as quickly. She lived her life for the overrated pleasure of liquor…that was no life worth living. So I put the bitch out of her misery and simultaneously rid this world of one filthy whore."

Sasuke's anger burst out of him. "Put her out of her misery? She was a human being, not a wounded animal!" he snapped.

"I see no difference," Jiraiya said harshly.

"I suppose that's how you saw the others, too?" Sasuke accused. "You were their oh-so-honorable savior?"

"If that's how you would like to word it. Shizune was supposed to help me. My depression was overwhelming. I needed a way to get my mind off of Tsunade, and Shizune was there. She was kind and gentle, and I felt better around her…but she shunned me, too," Jiraiya growled, clenching his fists. "She accused me of using her, said she didn't want to be a substitute for Tsunade. And she left me, in my greatest hour of need. Left me to become a whore, just like her friend. There was no hope for her either. They were better off dead, rather than alive to continue giving false hope and affections to oblivious men," he hissed.

Sasuke's heart clenched painfully as he remembered Kabuto. "There was hope for her!" he yelled. "She had a lover, and he was going to ask her to marry him. She would've had a better life! But you ripped it away from her."

Orochimaru's smooth voice disrupted the argument. "Oh yes, Kabuto. Such a foolish mistake for such an intelligent young man. Too bad it couldn't have been avoided." He sighed in fake regret.

Turning on Orochimaru with a snarl, Sasuke yelled, "He trusted you! He's devoted his entire life to you! How dare you do that to him?"

"It was not my decision," Orochimaru said. "But what's done is done. Would you like me to raise her from the grave?"

It felt like a cold fist seized Sasuke's heart. "You are inhuman," he whispered. "You have no compassion for anyone at all.

"On the contrary, Sasuke, the whole reason I'm assisting Jiraiya is for the public good," Orochimaru purred. "Whitechapel is a poor and filthy area, and no one can count how many prostitutes are roaming about on any given day. The first step to cleaning up Whitechapel is to get rid of them, if only a few. After Jiraiya killed Tsunade, he confided in me and I realized this was the perfect opportunity. He can have his revenge and all I have to do is exercise my power as head inspector to keep the police blind. What are friends for, after all?"

Sasuke desperately wanted to rip those cruel lips off of Orochimaru's face. "The public good? You think that mutilating these women will help clean up Whitechapel? They're not doing this by choice! They're a product of their environment!"

"Silly boy, you're only looking at the surface of it all. Of course carelessly killing every single prostitute won't fix anything. But surely you realize how made of a frenzy the media are in right now. The national authorities have already been alarmed by the newspapers. It won't be long before they step in to help and then I'll be in control of a clean, respectable place once more." Orochimaru tilted his head to the side and observed Sasuke with a smirk. "You say they're products of their environment…Well, sacrifice a few to secure the future well-being of others. If Whitechapel is cleaned up, then the lives of the rest of the prostitutes will be improved."

"I see," Sasuke hissed. "So everyone is a tool for you to use. You used Kabuto, you used the police force, and you used those women. And now you're using Jiraiya to do your dirty work while you sit back and cherish your ill-deserved power!"

Orochimaru's pale face tightened. "Foolish boy!" he spat. "What would you know of power? You've been in your brother's shadow your entire life."

The insult stung, but not as much as it would've three months ago. "So part of your plan was to frame my brother, right? Jiraiya murdered Kankuro to get Itachi out of the way. Were you afraid he was on the right track? And the hand-writing analyst. Orochimaru, when you got the message that the analyst had found a match, you sent Jiraiya over to silence him. So much for the 'public good'."

"Yes, Itachi was a growing concern." Orochimaru frowned. "I never expected him to break down all my defenses so quickly. But the graffito threw him off and gave us enough time to build back up again. And you helped, Sasuke," Orochimaru sneered. "Your foolishly misplaced trust in the chairman gave Jack the Ripper the perfect opportunity to remove Itachi. It's all thanks to you."

The painful pounding in Sasuke's head intensified as guilt leaked in. Orochimaru was right. Itachi might not be in custody right now if it weren't for him… _No!_ he scolded himself. _They__still__would__'__ve__found__a__way__to__get__to__Itachi__without__me._ "So the graffito was really all a distraction. There was no real meaning behind it," Sasuke stated.

"Yes and no," Orochimaru replied. "It was intended to distract the police, but there was also a double meaning. I decided to help Jiraiya get his point across…"

Jiraiya frowned down at Sasuke. "You were right that there was a message within a message, but you didn't choose the right message. The real message was 'Beware women that tell lies meant to hurt J'."

Sasuke was surprised. He had been right about the secret message this entire time? After everyone had criticized him, Orochimaru especially. A little voice in the back of his mind muttered that he should rub it in Itachi's face later, but he forced the voice down. "But that message doesn't use all of the letters," Sasuke objected.

"Yet another thing to keep you guessing," Jiraiya answered. "That's why Naruto never got farther than the first five words."

"You helped him," Sasuke said, shock evidence in his voice. "Why?"

"I thought it would be fun," Jiraiya said simply. "I wanted to see how far you could get. See how much Abberline blood you have in you." His eyes darkened into that penetrating stare again. "Of course, Naruto never suspected anything."

"Because he trusts you!" Sasuke snapped. "Even after I told him about my mom's diaries he still refused to suspect you. And you used him!"

Coal eyes glared at him. "I would never use him!" Jiraiya growled. "I'm not some filthy whore, toying with hearts and then cruelly twisting them."

"Is that why you killed Kurenai and Temari?" Sasuke demanded.

"You saw the note I left," Jiraiya hissed. "Kurenai and Temari were just as bad as any of them. All they cared about was themselves. Selfish bitches!" His fingers curled shut into tightly balled fists. "They could've helped Tsunade! They knew that I would help her, that she was too stubborn to come to me. They could've persuaded her to quit that lifestyle. She would've listened to them. But they didn't!"

Sasuke flinched as Jiraiya's fist pounded loudly into the wall. "So that was a good enough reason to kill them? You took away their lives because of your petty anger?"

"There was no hope for them either," Jiraiya said darkly. "Better for their used and filthy bodies to lay in pieces, food for the starving dogs. If only that bastard with the pony hadn't come…Kurenai didn't get what she deserved!"

"Calm yourself!" Orochimaru ordered, noticing the crazed look of Jiraiya's eyes. "You can't change anything now!"

Sasuke's wrists and ankles began to feel numb. He twisted them fruitlessly, knowing they were too tight to undo. He needed to escape…but not until all of his questions were answered. "So how did Sakura wrong you?" Sasuke asked quietly, saving the fury boiling within him for the next question. "Why did my parents deserve to die, you twisted bastard?"

Jiraiya paused, regarding Sasuke with a strange look - sizing him up. "Would you like to know?" he asked softly.

Taken aback, Sasuke's anger dulled. He met Jiraiya's gaze, watching him intently. "…Yes," he answered slowly.

"Wait a minute, Jiraiya," Orochimaru said. "It's late and his friends must already be suspicious. I can keep the police at bay, but we mustn't make ourselves too suspicious. We need to take care of the boy."

Fear replaced his curiosity. "Are you going to kill me too?" Sasuke demanded, trying to mask his nervousness with insolence.

Orochimaru smirked. "It would be a shame to waste a great mind like yours. Besides, there's no need to kill you. We'll just keep you here until Jiraiya kills the girl. Then you'll be free to go."

The nonchalance of his statement infuriated Sasuke. "There's no way in hell I'll let you kill Sakura!" he screamed, thrashing his bound limbs around wildly. "I'll get out and tell everyone what you're doing. You may be powerful, but you're not invincible!"

His movements were forced to a sudden halt as cold fingers gripped his chin firmly. Orochimaru's golden eyes observed him cruelly. "But that's just the thing, Sasuke. I have Whitechapel in the palm of my hand." The pale fingers tightened painfully. "I _am_ invincible."

Sasuke froze, furious but unable to move. The snake's words sapped his strength and filled him with doubt. Orochimaru gave him one last mocking look before releasing his chin and walking to the stairs.

"I need to go, Jiraiya. It wouldn't be good for us to be seen together, especially not now. I leave the boy in your hands."

Fear and anxiety began pounding through his veins. Sasuke screamed as loud as he could, jerking around wildly, desperately hoping that someone would hear him. Jiraiya was on him in an instant. One calloused hand clutched his head while the other covered his nose and mouth. Sasuke struggled, panicking as the air was prevented from entering his lungs. Jiraiya held him firmly, but not roughly. His struggles grew weaker as his vision dulled. Then, for the second time that night, the world went black.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Wednesday, 7 September 1888_

Gradually emerging from the groggy darkness of unconsciousness, Sasuke decided that he officially hated blacking out. He felt helpless, confused, tired, and a little frightened. Where was Jiraiya? What happened after he passed out? Slowly sitting up, he observed that he was still in the cellar lying in the same place he had before. The only difference was that his hands were bound in front of him instead of behind him. Jiraiya must have changed it, but why?

The throbbing in his head still hurt, but it wasn't nearly as painful as it was before. A good amount of time must have passed, but seeing as the cellar had no windows, Sasuke couldn't tell what time of day it was. He closed his eyes and held his body rigidly still, listening closely for any movement upstairs. But it was no use - he couldn't hear anything but his own stomach growling.

He silently cursed his stomach. How could it want food at a time like this? He needed to get out of there as soon as possible. Holding his wrists up to his mouth, Sasuke began to gnaw and pull on the rope like a desperate rat trying to escape its death. He chewed until his teeth ached and his gums were numb, but he had only managed to pull apart a small clump of rope fibers. Damn it. There had to be another way.

Scanning the room, he searched for any sharp object he could use to cut the rope. His eyes fell on the numerous wine bottles stacked on the dusty wooden racks. Jackpot. If he could break one of those, he could use the glass to cut his restraints. The only problem was the noise. If Jiraiya heard he would stop Sasuke before he could escape…

…unless Sasuke cut the ropes before Jiraiya made it down there. Then Sasuke would have a fighting chance. A slim chance – Jiraiya was stronger and larger – but a chance nonetheless. Glass wouldn't work as well as a knife, but it would still work. It was time for Jiraiya to feel the pain of his victims.

The sound of descending footsteps tore Sasuke away from his dark thoughts. He glared at the spot where Jiraiya would stand before he even got there. Just the thought of the man filled Sasuke with distaste, but his image inspired in Sasuke the deepest hate he'd ever felt. The bitter anger of his childhood now had a source to direct itself at.

Jiraiya regarded Sasuke with expressionless eyes. He approached with a try of toast and eggs. Sasuke didn't hide his shock. "Breakfast?" he questioned. Jiraiya only nodded, setting the try down on the floor in front of him. Sasuke eyed the food suspiciously. What was in it? And wait…breakfast, not dinner? "What day is it?" he asked urgently.

"Wednesday," Jiraiya replied, watching Sasuke carefully.

Wednesday! He'd been out for the entire night and now it was Wednesday morning. That meant it was the seventh…and Orochimaru mentioned something about the ninth. What if that was when Jiraiya would kill Sakura? Two days. He needed to escape.

Jiraiya was still watching him, so Sasuke picked up a piece of toast awkwardly with his tied wrists and examined it. "What did you do to it?"

He surprised Sasuke by throwing back his head and chuckling. "It's not poisoned, Sasuke. Didn't Orochimaru already say that I'm not going to kill you?"

Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke dropped the toast back onto the tray and pushed it away. "So it's not poisoned, but there has to be something. Why else would you give it to me?"

The humor vanished and was replaced with a serious expression. "Just because you're being held as a captive doesn't mean I have to starve you."

"I don't believe you."

Jiraiya shrugged. "That's up to you." He turned to go.

"You can't keep me here," Sasuke blurted out, effectively halting Jiraiya's departure. "I don't care what Orochimaru says. People know that I'm missing; he can't silence everyone. People will look for me."

Jiraiya regarded him calmly. "His intention isn't to stop people from looking for you. His intention it to keep them from finding you."

Sasuke ground his teeth in frustration. "He only has control over the police. He can't stop anyone outside of that realm."

"You think so?" Jiraiya questioned. "You should know better than that. Let's say that Naruto tries to take things into his own hands and attempts to break into my house to save you. A police constable on his rounds sees him. Naruto is arrested for breaking and entering and falls right into Orochimaru's hands."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort but found no words to justify his frustration. Biting his lip harshly, he glared at the floor, waiting for Jiraiya to leave.

"Face it, Sasuke – no one can save you." With that, Jiraiya left.

Sasuke spent the next hour listening intently to Jiraiya's movements. He hoped the man would leave the house, but that didn't seem like it was happening. Looks like he would have to go with Plan B.

Crawling over to the wooden shelves, Sasuke grabbed a random bottle and positioned it between his knees. He pressed his knees together slowly, using all of his strength in an attempt to quietly break the bottle. It wasn't working. "Alright, here goes everything," Sasuke murmured. He positioned the bottle yet again but snapped his knees together this time. The bottle cracked, making an audible but subtle sound. Sasuke didn't pause to discern if Jiraiya heard. It was all or nothing.

Wine began to trickle down his aching knees, but he ignored the pain. He bashed his knees together one more time, effectively smashing the middle of the bottle. Blood mixed with the flowing wine and the sweet smell overwhelmed him. No time to stop. Sasuke held his wrists over a jagged edge and began sawing at the rope quickly, scratching his wrists multiple times in the process.

Adrenaline pumped through him. What is Jiraiya heard him? The rope was harder to cut than he thought. After a final desperate jerk, the rope was thin enough for Sasuke to rip it apart. His skin screamed out relief, reveling in the freedom, but he took no time to rejoice. He fumbled with the rope that bound his ankles, his fingers slippery with wine and blood, until he was able to rip them off.

Breathing heavily now, Sasuke clutched the nose of the bottle and, wielding it like a dagger, dashed to the side of the stairs. He pressed his back against the wall, his heart thudding against his chest and sweat beading on his forehead. The familiar heavy tread of Jiraiya's footsteps resounded above Sasuke's head, but they weren't calm and evenly-spaced like usual. His steps were hurried and reckless. He knew.

This was it. The bottle nose became slick with the sweat form Sasuke's palms. He'd fought before – petty fist fights with Naruto and other boys when he was younger – but he'd never fought for his life before. Especially not against a man who had killed multiple people already. Did he even stand a chance?

Light spilled down the stairs. He couldn't turn back now.

Footsteps thudded down the steps – only seconds left. Jiraiya appeared at the bottom of the steps and Sasuke lunged. With a cry of fear and fury, he thrust the jagged glass toward Jiraiya's shoulder.

The element of surprise was not enough though. With a swift reaction that Sasuke didn't expect, Jiraiya caught Sasuke's wrist in a firm grip, halting the path of the bottle in an instant. Eyes widening, Sasuke desperately swung his free fist at Jiraiya's face, but Jiraiya caught that too. He struggled, causing the grip on his wrists to tighten.

"Trying to hurt me, boy?" Jiraiya growled, his sinister black eyes boring into Sasuke's. "What do you know of causing pain? Of taking a life? You know nothing. Do you really think you can take me down?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth. Seeing as his hands were useless, he'd have to employ other methods. He swung his leg out, trying to hook Jiraiya's and sweep his feet out from under him. But Jiraiya was too quick. He shoved Sasuke into the wall, forcing his wrists against the concrete on either side of his head and holding his legs in place with his own. The bottle slipped from his hand, shattering on the concrete floor. Sasuke was trapped.

Fear and loathing battled for dominance as Sasuke stared into those coal black eyes that were too close to his own. He growled, twisting his limbs futilely. Jiraiya's grip tightened, his fingers digging into the scratches painfully.

"You'll never learn, will you?" Jiraiya accused. "This is out of your control, Sasuke. You can't save Sakura. I will kill her. I have to. You can't do anything about it, so stop fighting."

"That's easy for you to say, isn't it?" Sasuke snapped. "Whenever someone makes you angry, whether they're close to you or not, it's all too simple for you to remove the problem."

"I've been betrayed by everyone I've ever cared about!" Jiraiya barked, eyes narrowing. "Why should I feel regret for their deaths?"

Sasuke didn't respond. Breathing hard from the effort of struggling, he glared at his captor, trying to figure a way out of the situation.

Jiraiya's anger dulled and he regarded Sasuke with that _look_, watching him carefully. "Forget about Sakura, Sasuke. It will help lessen the pain."

Then, suddenly, Jiraiya's hands released Sasuke's wrists and wrapped around his throat instead. Sasuke's eyes widened and he began to panic as his air was cut off. He clawed at Jiraiya's hands, but the man was too strong. His grip was firm, but not rough or violent.

Sasuke's struggles grew weaker as his vision blurred. Finally he gave up entirely and Jiraiya's serious coal eyes followed him in unconsciousness.

xXx

A/N: I don't know if you all remember the clues I left throughout the previous chapters, but I decided to list them here so I could explain why I chose what I did.

Vengeful- Jiraiya is taking revenge on the women he thinks wronged him

Second place- In the actual series, Jiraiya was always second place to Orochimaru

Tall- His height

Opposite- Umm...I honestly can't remember what this was supposed to refer to. I think it might mean that he's the opposite of Orochimaru or Sasuke or something

Straight- His hair

Accomplished- Jiraiya is a retired surgeon who had a successful career

Dear boy- An endearing term he uses for Naruto

Wise- In both the series and this fanfic, he's got that old-man wisdom about him

Well-off- Jiraiya made a lot of money as a surgeon and he's in the upper-class, as revealed by his really nice house


	24. Ch 23 Rescue

A/N: Yet again, I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. But now that I'm on winter break, I have a lot more time to write. Happy Holidays to everyone and a Happy New Year! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 23: Rescue

_Tuesday, 6 November 1888_

Sakura was trying to keep her cool, she really was, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult as the minutes ticked by. When she had seen Orochimaru and Jiraiya approach the front door together, she almost forgot to breathe. She crossed one set of fingers and used the others to unshutter the lantern, desperately flashing the light at the window. Now the two men had been inside for at least ten minutes and Sasuke still hadn't come out.

_Breathe, Sakura,_ she told herself. _This doesn't necessarily mean he's been found out. He might be hiding, waiting for an opportunity to slip out the backdoor._ Or at least she hoped that was the case. If not, then Sasuke was at the mercy of Jiraiya…at the mercy of a man who might carry the pseudonym Jack the Ripper.

Biting her lip, Sakura nervously scanned the dark for Sasuke's form, but to no avail. She set the lantern on the ground and positioned it so that the beam pointed toward the back of Jiraiya's house. Then she rubbed her hands together and breathed hot air into them in an attempt to deflect the bitter November chill. She would wait for an hour, and if he wasn't out by then, she would get Naruto.

That hour was the longest hour of her life. The streets were utterly empty and the darkness, silence, and cold pressed against her, teaming up in an effort to suffocate her with paranoia. And it was working. Every snapping twig made her look up with a mixture of hope and fear. If it was Sasuke, that would be great, but if it wasn't…well, Jack the Ripper wasn't the only enemy in Whitechapel.

She felt unsafe, scared, and worried, so when the hour finally inched to its end, she wasted no time in cautiously proceeding down the street. When she passed by the back of the house she swung her lantern to illuminate every reachable corner. No sign of Sasuke. Dread filled her stomach and she turned around to hurry back, but as she was turning she bumped into something solid. Her initial reaction was to scream but a hand flew to her mouth.

"Shh, you'll give us away," Naruto chided.

Anger replaced her fear and she smacked his hand away. "Naruto! Why the hell would you sneak up on me like that?"

"Shh!" Naruto shushed her again, more urgently this time. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. But you and Sasuke were taking forever to get back so I got worried."

Sakura gripped his arm tightly. "Naruto, I think something may have happened to Sasuke. Orochimaru and Jiraiya went inside over an hour ago and I haven't seen a sign of Sasuke. He might be hiding and waiting for a chance to escape, or they could have found him. What should we do?"

"Orochimaru? Why was he with Jiraiya?" Naruto asked.

Sakura, taken aback, released her grip on his arm. "I'm not sure. But Sasuke is in danger and we need to do something."

"Sakura, do you know what this means?" Naruto asked, ignoring her previous statement entirely. "Orochimaru is involved in all of this somehow."' Suddenly his eyes lit up and he grabbed her hands. "It all makes sense! Jiraiya isn't Jack the Ripper, Orochimaru is! And Jiraiya somehow found out, but Orochimaru is blackmailing him to keep him quiet. So Jiraiya could be innocent!"

Sakura didn't know how to respond so she simply stood still and let Naruto squeeze her hands eagerly as he explained. What could she say? His theory wasn't impossible, but Sasuke's evidence was more plausible. She knew Naruto didn't want to accept that Jiraiya might be Jack the Ripper, and she didn't blame him. But he was twisting facts to suit theories instead of twisting theories to suit facts1, and she was afraid that the truth would hit him harder if he kept shielding himself.

"Let's not assume anything yet," Sakura finally answered. "The most important thing right now is finding out what happened to Sasuke."

The brightness left Naruto's eyes and his smile fell. "Right, right," he said, shaking his head. "Well, we can't risk sneaking in while they're both in there, so we should keep watch for a couple more hours and wait until at least Orochimaru leaves."

Sakura nodded, although she worried about what could happen to Sasuke in those couple of hours. "Then what?"

"Then, if Orochimaru has left, the lights have gone out, and Sasuke still hasn't come out, we can assume he's been captured. Then…" Naruto faltered, frowning at Sakura. "I guess we'll see what happens."

Sakura wasn't very reassured by this but she couldn't think of anything better. "Alright. I'll watch the front door and you watch the back door."

"No, let's switch. It's better if I'm closer to the front door so Orochimaru will see me instead of you."

Sakura smiled, but she didn't miss the way that Naruto mentioned Orochimaru and not Jiraiya. They separated and Naruto took Sakura's original spot by the trees while Sakura positioned herself near the backyard. She shuttered the lantern so that it only emitted a dull glow, enough to make her feel safe but not enough to draw attention. Then the waiting began again.

It wasn't as bad this time since Sakura was comforted by Naruto's presence. She was no longer frightened of the dark shadows, but she still couldn't combat the bitter cold of the November night. She found herself wishing more than ever that Sasuke was there. He wouldn't let her be cold. He would wrap his strong arms around her and share his body heat until her shivering stopped.

"Sasuke," she whispered to the unsympathetic night, "where are you?"

Another hour passed before anything happened. It was then that Sakura heard the barely audible sound of a closing door and light footsteps padding down a cobblestone street. She froze, listening intently. The footsteps eventually faded away and after a few minutes she could make out Naruto's shape approaching her.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"Orochimaru just left, but I didn't see Jiraiya or Sasuke," Naruto replied. "If Sasuke is hiding, he's probably waiting until Jiraiya goes to sleep to leave. Now we need to wait again, and if the lights go out and there's still no sign of Sasuke, we'll go home."

"What?" Sakura asked in disbelief. "We can't just leave Sasuke here!"

"I don't want to leave him either, Sakura," Naruto said gently. "But I can't sneak in while Jiraiya is there, even if he's asleep. Jiraiya won't hurt Sasuke – I know he won't." Sakura tried to object but Naruto silenced her with a firm look. "Just trust me, please. We'll go home and get some sleep, and I'll get up early to come keep watch again. The moment Jiraiya leaves, I'll break in and get Sasuke. Alright?"

Sakura frowned, doubtful, but finally surrendered to Naruto's pleading blue eyes. "Alright."

Naruto smiled reassuringly and returned to his spot to keep watch. Sighing, Sakura unshuttered the lantern to allow what was left of the feeble, dying light to pour out. More waiting. Great. Sakura wasn't an impatient person; actually, it was just the opposite. Many people said she was the most patient person they knew. But still, she could only handle so much waiting under stressful conditions before she started getting anxious. And now she was anxious.

The waiting wasn't as long this time though. A half hour later all the lights in the house went out. If Sasuke was hiding, he would be coming out at any moment. Sakura didn't let her eyes leave the back door for a second. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the lantern nervously. "Come on, Sasuke," she whispered earnestly, but there was still no sign of the raven-haired man.

After some time passed, she saw Naruto approaching yet again – the bearer of bad news. His expression was grim as he spoke. "It's been fifteen minutes since the lights went out. If Sasuke was going to sneak out, he would've done it by now."

Sakura released a drawn-out sigh. She understood that there was nothing more they could do at the moment. "Ok," she relented. "Let's go back."

Naruto squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Just trust me, Sakura. I swear I'll get him back, no matter what it takes."

Sakura returned the squeeze. "I know."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Wednesday, 7 November 1888_

Naruto may not have been as smart as Sasuke, but he had to hand it to himself – his plan was pretty clever. He woke up early and was going to watch Jiraiya's house when he realized a fatal flaw: it was daylight. It would be a little too obvious if he stood on the same corner all day. He couldn't keep walking around the block either, because that was suspicious in itself and he might miss Jiraiya leaving. Then Naruto had an epiphany.

"Hey, kids!" Naruto called, walking up to two young boys who were playing tag in a nearby ally. They froze when they saw him and exchanged a frightened glance. "Don't worry," he said, flashing them a grin. "I just have to ask you something."

They visibly relaxed but still watched him suspiciously. One boy had dark hair that was covered by a ratty cloth cap and the other was sandy-haired and had skin spotted with freckles. Both had dirty faces and wore clothes that were the worse for wear. "What do you want?" the dark-haired boy questioned.

Naruto kneeled down in front of them so they'd be eye-to-eye. "Would you boys mind doing a favor for me?"

Their eyes brightened with curiosity and hesitance. "What favor?"

"There's a house that I need to keep an eye on. I need to know when its resident leaves. However, I have other things I need to do, so I need you two to watch it for me." Naruto fished around in his pocket and pulled out a few coins for each boy. "These are yours if you agree to do this for me. Watch the house until the resident leaves, and when he does, I need you to alert me. Do you know where the Smith Bakery is?"

The boys nodded dumbly, their eyes never leaving the shiny coins. "I know where it is, sir," the sandy-haired boy replied.

"Good. When you see the resident leave, you need to run to the bakery as fast as you can and tell me. However, if you don't see the resident leave by 10:00 PM, I still want you to come to the bakery. Either way, you boys will get a few loaves of bread for your trouble. Will you do it?"

They grinned widely. "Just show us the house and we'll be the best spies on this side of the East End!"

Naruto laughed and dropped the coins into their outstretched hands. "I'm sure you will. Follow me then."

He led them to the house and chuckled when they gawked at the size and elegance of it. Then he gave them a physical description of Jiraiya and told them where to stand. "You just need to act natural," Naruto told them. "You can play tag like you were earlier and move around, but just make sure you can see the front door and occasionally check on the back door. I know it's a long time to watch, so I'll stop by to bring you lunch and check on you."

The boys smiled and gave him a thumbs-up before resuming their game of tag like nothing had happened. Naruto watched them for a minute before smiling to himself and leaving. They were almost like Sherlock Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars. Itachi would be impressed.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_9:00 PM_

Naruto and Sakura had been waiting impatiently all day, pacing back and forth along the worn wooden floor of the bakery, their heads shooting up every time the bell jingled signifying another customer. But it was never the boys and Naruto's frustration was building up quickly. Jiraiya couldn't stay in there forever. He had to come out sometime…didn't he?

It wasn't until the sun descended, taking all light with it, and the moon rose with its blanket of darkness, that the two boys burst into the now-closed store, panting heavily. Naruto and Sakura sprang to their feet and rushed over to them.

"He…left," the dark haired boy gasped. "The white-haired man…left in a hansom."

"Alright!" Naruto grinned triumphantly. "You boys did well. Sakura here will make sure you're rewarded with cold water and warm bread." He hurriedly threw his coat on and slipped his extra lock-pick set into his pocket. Then he flashed one more meaningful smile at Sakura. "Don't worry, I've got this."

She returned the smile, but with a touch of anxiety, and then he was off.

Naruto didn't stop running until he reached the stairs leading up to Jiraiya's front door. He wasn't trying to be sneaky anymore; he just needed to move as quickly as possible. Who knew how long Jiraiya would be gone? Fumbling with his lock picks, he tried to control his shaky breathing enough so that he could keep his hands steady. The lock came undone and he shut the door behind him. He saw nothing but darkness.

"Sasuke!" he yelled. His voice echoed back to him, but there was no reply. His fingers tingled with anxiety. Where would Jiraiya keep Sasuke? Somewhere that suppressed sound…where guests wouldn't go…Naruto's fingers clenched into fists and he bolted to the cellar door. It was locked. Pulling out his lock picks, he fumbled with it for a few seconds before it gave away easily. He flung open the door and was greeted by a darkness deeper and more sinister than the house.

No time to find a light. Naruto proceeded down the stairs carefully, using the hand rail to guide him. He thought he was nearly to the bottom when he stepped on something and lost his balance. He managed to prevent himself from falling, but the thing he stepped on grunted in pain.

For a second Naruto forgot to breathe. Sasuke.

Naruto dropped to his knees and patted around with his hands until he found Sasuke's face. Sasuke grumbled unintelligibly but didn't say anything. Naruto lightly touched Sasuke's eyelids; they were flickering open and close in a disoriented fashion. "Sasuke, it's Naruto. Are you alright?" He felt Sasuke open and close his mouth like he was trying to remember how to speak. What was wrong with him? "Sasuke, please answer me. What's wrong? Can you stand?" Naruto asked, gently shaking his friend.

Sasuke's eyes were opened all the way now, but Naruto could feel his eyeballs swiveling back and forth, looking around wildly. For whatever reason, he seemed to be disoriented and unresponsive, but Naruto would find out why later. Now, they just needed to get out.

Naruto felt along Sasuke's arms and found that they were bound behind his back, tied with rope and knotted to the rail of the stairs. He swore under his breath and fished his pocketknife out of his shirt pocket. Very carefully he sawed at the rope until it fell apart. Then he felt for Sasuke's ankles and, finding that they were also bound, cut the rope there too.

Seeing as Sasuke was still unresponsive, Naruto grabbed his friend, hoisted him onto his back, and carried him up the stairs. Sasuke was too heavy to run with so Naruto broke out into a light jog. Just to be safe, he went out the backdoor but didn't bother to close it. There was no point – Jiraiya would find out he'd been there anyways.

Naruto didn't slow down until he'd reached the orphanage. He was panting and sweat dribbled down his forehead despite the chilly wind. Hobbling through the door, he dropped Sasuke on the couch before collapsing on the ground in front of him. It wasn't long before Sakura came bounding down the stairs and into the living room. She gasped when she saw the two of them sprawled there.

"Naruto, are you ok? And Sasuke, is he alive?"

Naruto, still trying to catch his breath, flashed her a thumbs-up. "I'm fine. Sasuke's alive…but there's…something wrong with him."

Sakura's brow creased with worry and she kneeled by the couch, shifting Sasuke onto his back. Her hands traveled lightly along his body as she examined him for damage. "He doesn't have any serious damage," Sakura said, "but there are minor wounds. His head is bruised in the back as if someone tried to knock him out. There are bruises on his neck too as if someone tried to choke him, and his wrists and ankles are raw from rope or chain or something. And his knees…" She rolled up his pant legs to expose his knees and cringed at the sight. His knees, thighs, and shins were splotched with dried blood and some glass shards were buried in his kneecaps. "He smashed his knees on some sort of glass…a wine bottle, from the smell of it."

Naruto was now standing next to Sakura, wiping sweat from his brow. "When I found him he was tied to the stairs in the wine cellar. I nearly tripped over him and he started making noises and opened his eyes, but he was unresponsive to me. He seemed disoriented."

Sakura caressed Sasuke's face gently. "Sasuke, what did they do to you?"

"Whatever happened, I think he just needs to sleep it off. We should clean his wounds and then move him back to bed."

Sakura nodded and gathered medical supplies from the washroom. As she plucked the glass shards out of Sasuke's skin, Naruto questioned her about Iruka and the boys. "Was Iruka at all suspicious?"

"He didn't seem to be," she replied. "As you know, he thought Sasuke and I were on a date last night and he was asleep when you and I returned. Since he's been at the bakery all day, he never noticed Sasuke's absence. However, when you and I helped out at the shop and offered to close, and Sasuke wasn't with us, he was surprised. I told him that Sasuke had gone to visit Itachi and Iruka seemed convinced. As for the boys, they have quite an appetite. I gave them each a loaf of oatmeal bread and they had nearly eaten it all when I returned with drinks. So I gave them each another loaf and sent them off. They were very grateful.

"I closed up the shop and went back to the orphanage to wait for you. Iruka asked me why it took so long and wondered where you were. I told him that Sasuke came back while we were closing up and we all decided to go to a bar and have a few drinks. However, you and Sasuke had a little too much and started getting rowdy, so I left and came back here. Iruka was upstairs reading when I last saw him, but if he comes down and sees Sasuke, we'll just say he got in a bar fight."

Naruto chuckled and shook his head. "Good thing you have a creative mind. Thanks for covering for us."

"Hopefully it's plausible enough for Iruka to believe." She wiped the now glass-free wound with alcohol and watched in worry as Sasuke's features contorted painfully in sleep. "There. I'm no expert, but I think I've pulled out all the glass shards. He should see a doctor just in case, but I doubt he will. He's too stubborn." Smiling slightly, she gently wrapped his knees in clean gauze bandages and then sat back to observe her handiwork. "Alright, let's move him now."

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's torso and Sakura grabbed his feet, and they slowly and carefully moved toward the stairs. They tried to be quiet so as not to attract Iruka's attention, but every other stair made an obnoxious creaking noise. However, they finally made it into the bedroom and laid Sasuke down on the bed gently.

"Well, it's been a long day," Naruto said, yawning, "and there's nothing more we can do until he wakes up, so I'm going to bed. You should do the same."

Naruto turned to leave but Sakura asked him to wait. "Thank you for saving him, Naruto," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed and stroking Sasuke's hair. "But I'm worried. What will they do now? When Jiraiya and Orochimaru find out Sasuke is gone…what will they do? Will they come after him, or come after us?"

Frowning, Naruto shook his head. "I don't know, Sakura. I really don't know."

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

"How could you let this happen?" Orochimaru hissed, his golden eyes glaring down at the sliced rope on the stairs. "This could ruin everything we've worked for, you foolish oaf!"

Jiraiya watched him silently, calmly. "I thought you said you have control of the police. If Sasuke goes to them, can't you just manipulate them?"

"That's not the problem!" Orochimaru snapped. "It won't be an issue if Sasuke goes to the police, but I don't think he will. He's smarter than that. He'll try to handle it on his own. He could hide the girl away or take her out of my jurisdiction, and then I can do nothing. The boy will ruin our plan!"

Jiraiya said nothing as Orochimaru fumed; he merely stared at the ropes contemplatively. Then he spoke, slowly but confidently. "Sasuke knows I killed his parents, and he wants to know why. He wants revenge; he wants to kill me. I can see it in his eyes. Trust me – he won't run and hide. He'll lay in wait for me, and Sakura and Naruto won't be far from him."

Orochimaru, less angry now, watched him thoughtfully. "Then you're going to proceed with the original plan as scheduled?"

Jiraiya nodded, his coal black eye narrowing dangerously. "You just take care of the police. I'll deal with those three."

1 I borrowed this line from Sir Arthur Conan's Doyle Sherlock Holmes story _A Scandal in Bohemia._


	25. Ch 24 Preparing for the End

A/N: Hey everyone! Yet again, as I do every time, I apologize for how long it's taken me to update. But don't worry; the previous chapter is nicely summed up by the characters in this chapter, in case you forgot what happened. Anyways, this is the last chapter before the grand finale, so I hope you all enjoy it! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 24: Preparing for the End

_Thursday, 8 November1888_

Sasuke awoke to bursting feelings of pain, discomfort, and disorientation. His vision was blurry and he soon discovered that his balance was in no better shape. It felt like someone had taken a hammer to his head and his knees burned with a sharp, steady pain. He didn't even try to suppress his grunt of pain.

Once his vision cleared he looked around at his surroundings with confusion. He was in his room at Iruka's house – how? Hadn't he been in Jiraiya's cellar? Speaking of which…what happened to him? It took longer than it should have to piece together the fuzzy memories. The last thing he remembered was trying to overpower Jiraiya, failing to do so, and being suffocated until he passed out. That was the third time that bastard had forced him into unconsciousness. Sasuke reflected on Jiraiya's physical dominance over him bitterly. How could he protect Sakura from that murderer if he couldn't even protect himself?

Speaking of the devil, Sakura opened the door a moment later, smiling when she saw that he was awake. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," Sasuke responded with a grimace. "My head is killing me and I'm confused. How did I get here?"

Sakura frowned. "Let me get Naruto and then we can explain." She left the room and Sasuke closed his eyes while he waited, gritting his teeth against the pain in his head. He opened his eyes when she returned with Naruto. "Naruto, what happened? How did I get here?"

Naruto plopped down on the wooden chair by Sasuke's bed. "We'll probably be talking for awhile, so make yourselves comfortable." Sakura took his advice and sat on the bed by Sasuke, touching his hand lightly. "Alright, I'll start from the beginning. When you snuck into Jiraiya's house, I stalled him for as long as I could, but eventually he said that he had an important matter to take care of and he had to leave."

"When Jiraiya got back there was a coach waiting outside his house and Orochimaru stepped out. They talked for a little while before going inside. I shone my lantern but you never came out. Eventually Naruto came and we thought that maybe you were hiding and waiting until Orochimaru left and Jiraiya went to sleep to sneak out," Sakura interjected.

"Sakura would've waited there forever, but I know you were probably captured and it would've been pointless. We went back and in the morning I hired two kids to keep watch. I knew I couldn't sneak in until Jiraiya left. It was late last night when he finally left so I broke in and found you in the cellar tied to the stairs. You seemed really disoriented and you kept trying to speak but you couldn't. I carried you back here and Sakura dressed your wounds."

"Your head is bruised pretty badly. I think you might have a concussion – that would explain the disorientation. You're also bruised on your neck, wrists, and ankles, and your knees are all cut up. I pulled most of the glass shards out, but there are probably more buried in your skin. You really need proper medical attention," Sakura said firmly.

Sasuke patted his head delicately. "A concussion? I'm not surprised. The bastard nearly bashed my skull in."

Sakura and Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. "Sasuke, what the hell happened to you?" Naruto demanded.

"Well, before I say anything else, I have to get rid of the elephant in the room. Jiraiya is Jack the Ripper. I'm sorry, Naruto. I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but it's the truth. I heard him say it myself."

A look of pain and betrayal twisted Naruto's features, one so intense that it made Sasuke hate Jiraiya more than he had before. "I can't believe it…I can't believe he'd do that to me." Naruto clenched his fingers in his hair tightly. "He's like my grandpa. I love him. I thought he cared about me…but he lied." Tears came streaming down his cheeks and he sniffled loudly. Sakura left Sasuke's side and went to Naruto, taking him into her arms comfortingly. Her tears soaked his blonde hair.

It was that tragic image that made Sasuke decide. That bastard had destroyed too many lives, forced too many tears to fall. He deserved nothing short of death. And Sasuke would be the one to kill him.

"I hate him," Naruto gasped, choked by his own sorrow. "The things he did – I'll never forgive him. I hate him."

Sakura stroked Naruto's hair gently, crying along with him and squeezing his shoulders when he mumbled angrily. After awhile Naruto gently moved Sakura's arms away and rubbed his red eyes. "Tell us everything, Sasuke. I need to know why…"

Naruto didn't need to say another word. Sasuke nodded and started from the beginning. "After I snuck in I checked Jiraiya's bedroom first. The only things of interest at first were these locked drawers by his bed, but I couldn't get them open with the lock picks. Then I had a crazy idea – don't ask me why – and thought there might be something behind the portrait of Jiraiya and Tsunade on the wall. I turned out to be right: there was a safe behind it. Unfortunately though I couldn't figure out the combination, so I went to look around his office instead. The only thing I found in there was a bottle of red ink, but I took it with me just in case.

"I couldn't shake the itching feeling that there was something important in that safe, so I went back up to try again. I tried every combination I could think of, but I still couldn't get it open. Then I went out to see if Sakura had lit the lantern yet, and she had. I didn't have time to get out, so I hid in the closet and listened to Jiraiya and Orochimaru talk. I found out that they're working together. Jiraiya does the dirty work while Orochimaru covers up for him. He has total control over the police." Sasuke paused, choosing not to mention Jiraiya's plan for Sakura yet. He didn't want to frighten her; he'd wait until the end.

"Eventually they both left the room so I ran to the backdoor. I was too hasty – I should've waited. Orochimaru caught me and distracted me while Jiraiya hit me on the head from behind. I blacked out and woke up in the cellar with my hands and ankles bound. Jiraiya and Orochimaru came down and told me everything. Jiraiya admitted that he murdered my parents and all of Sakura's friends, and that he killed the handwriting analyst and Kankuro in order to frame Itachi. He also said that there was a message within the graffito: 'Beware women that tell lies meant to hurt J'."

Naruto looked up in surprise. "That was the start of my guess. He really was helping me then. That bastard played me!"

Sasuke nodded grimly. "That's not all. Orochimaru's been playing all of us too. Orochimaru isn't helping Jiraiya for nothing – he gets something out of it too. Jiraiya gets his revenge and Orochimaru gets publicity. He said he wants to 'clean up" Whitechapel, and the murders will help him. The media has drawn attention to it and the national authorities are coming to take control of the situation."

"So that's how he's justifying all of it?" Sakura spat. "It's fine to waste some poor girls' lives as long as Whitechapel gets cleaned up in the end? How disgusting! He's a disgrace to the police force!"

Naruto swallowed loudly. "Why did Jiraiya want revenge? What did they ever do to him?"

"It all started with Tsunade," Sasuke explained. "Jiraiya said she had drinking and gambling problems, and they fought continually until she eventually left him. She had trouble getting by so she reverted to prostitution. Jiraiya said he tried to help her but she refused him. He said she was living her life for nothing but liquor, and that was no life to live. So…" Sasuke spoke his next words delicately. "…he put her out of her misery."

Naruto ground his teeth angrily, struggling with conflicting emotions. "But…how? I can't believe – I know that he loved her, more than anything. I _know_ he did."

Sasuke knew Naruto was right. When Jiraiya spoke about Tsunade, there was a softness and intensity to his voice that was clearly love. But he also spoke of her with bitterness and hate. "I know he did. But in the end, his hate was stronger than his love."

"What about the others? Why did he kill my friends?" Sakura asked, her voice heavy with sorrow.

"When Tsunade left him, he fell into a deep depression. Shizune was Tsunade's best friend, so he tried to use her as a substitute for Tsunade. Shizune wouldn't have it and left him, sending Jiraiya into a deeper depression. He said she was better off dead so she couldn't give 'false hope' to men." He observed Sakura and Naruto's pained expressions, but they made no comments so he continued on. "Tsunade was also the reason for his bitterness against Shizune and Temari. He said that they could've persuaded her to quit that lifestyle and accept his help, because she would've listened to them. But they didn't…"

Sasuke didn't need to say anymore. Sakura's eyes were already wet and it was Naruto's turn to hold her hand. "Does he think he's God?" she sobbed bitterly. "Does he think he has the right to decide who lives and dies? Doesn't he know he's hurting the people who trusted him?"

Sakura buried her face in Naruto's shoulder as Sasuke's heart clenched with pain. He wished he didn't have to tell them these things, wished he didn't have to hurt them. But they needed to know the truth, no matter how harsh it was.

After Sakura's sniffles subsided and she wiped her eyes, Sasuke continued. "After they told me everything Orochimaru left and Jiraiya suffocated me when I tried to scream. When I woke up it was Wednesday and Jiraiya came down with breakfast. After he left I smashed one of the wine bottles between my knees to muffle the sound. I cut the ropes with the broken glass and waited by the staircase for Jiraiya to come down. When he did I attacked him with the broken bottle, but he overpowered me and strangled me. That's the last thing I remember."

There was silence as they absorbed the information. Then, slowly and with a strained voice, Sakura asked, "What about me, Sasuke? What did Jiraiya say about me?"

Her watery green eyes begged him to tell the truth. She didn't want a watered down version. "He said that he would kill you in your room on the ninth, during the night when you're sleeping." The words were like acid on his tongue and he was disgusted by the fact that they even needed to be said. How vulgar and immoral was a world in which he had to tell the woman he loved when and how she would die?

He expected her to gasp, scream, sob, or something, but she surprised him by merely sniffling softly and biting her lip. "I would be more terrified if Jack the Ripper's identity was still a mystery. But now that I know how close he really was all this time…it causes me more pain than fear."

"I know it's hard for both of you, more so than it is for me," Sasuke said, his coal eyes flicking between emerald and sky blue ones, "but I need your help to take care of this. We have to stop him."

"How?" Sakura asked. "We can't get the police involved, not even Kakashi or Shikamaru. Orochimaru is blocking our only source of help."

"We need to take things into our own hands," Sasuke replied. "We need to set up a trap."

"But doesn't Jiraiya know that you know his plan? He won't be reckless – he's too smart," Naruto pointed out. He was trying to hide his emotions, but Sasuke could hear the strain in his voice. It pained Naruto to talk about Jiraiya like this while the wound was still so fresh. Sasuke wished he could give Naruto time to mourn and adjust, but time was something they didn't have much of. Naruto was strong – Sasuke knew he could tough it out.

"You're right. He knows that I'll try to protect Sakura, but I don't think that will deter him. He doesn't see me as a threat," Sasuke said bitterly. "He'll go through with it. Besides, we don't have much of a choice. It's the only chance we have to stop him."

After a few moments of silence Naruto looked up with fierce determination in his eyes. "We're the only ones who can stop him. I trust you, Sasuke. Just tell me what to do."

Sasuke nodded appreciatively. "We'll have to act quickly. Jiraiya said the ninth, which is tomorrow. However, Jiraiya killed the others in the early hours of the morning…so we should plan on him making his move late tonight."

Sakura inhaled sharply and they both looked at her with worry. She shook her head. "It's ok. It's just…I didn't think it would be this soon. Just keep talking, please."

Frowning doubtfully, Sasuke didn't like the expression Sakura wore at all, but he continued on like she asked. "Jiraiya said he would do it in Sakura's room, so he'll probably be watching to make sure she's there. So here's my plan: the three of us will go to Sakura's room tonight so Jiraiya will think we're trying to protect her from him. When it gets late Naruto and I will leave and Jiraiya will think that we think the coast is clear, so he can make his move. Only we won't really leave. Naruto, you'll leave with Sakura, who will be disguised so Jiraiya thinks it's me, while I stay behind. When Jiraiya comes – "

Sakura and Naruto objected simultaneously. "Hold on," Naruto said. "We can't leave you alone. You'll be killed!"

"Let me finish," Sasuke said. "After you take Sakura to safety, Naruto, you'll circle back around and keep watch. When you see Jiraiya come into the room, you'll come in and we can take him down together."

"I think not!" Sakura snapped. "You can't shut me out of this. I won't let either of you get hurt because of me."

"And I won't let _you_ get hurt," Sasuke said firmly. "Naruto and I can handle this."

Crossing her arms defiantly, Sakura glared at him. "Are you forgetting who has the brains here? You and Naruto may have the brawn, but what if something goes wrong? You need a woman who can reason sensibly. If Jiraiya goes berserk, there's no way in hell _you_ can talk him out of it, Sasuke. You need me to diffuse the tension."

Sasuke faltered and finally surrendered to her fierce emerald gaze. "Fine," he relented. "But I won't let you stay in the room with him."

"Yes you will," Sakura insisted. "I want to be used as bait, like Itachi planned. It would fool Jiraiya even more. Just think about it – he _expects_ you to hide me. I would be in more danger being away from you."

"She does have a point," Naruto agreed.

Sighing, Sasuke ran his hand through his hair in frustration and winced when he touched the bruise. "I understand what you're saying, but I would hate myself if anything happened to you."

"And I would hate myself if anything happened to _you_," Sakura said firmly. "I trust you to protect me. Now trust me to protect you."

Before Sasuke could object again, Naruto interjected. "And I would hate myself if anything happened to either of you, so let's just agree that we'll all be there to protect each other, ok?"

Sakura smiled affectionately at Naruto. "Just like old times?"

Knowing it was pointless to argue, Sasuke sighed but he couldn't stop the corners of his lips from curving upward into a small smile. "Fine. We need a new plan then." He bent his legs in order to push himself into a better sitting position but stopped abruptly when a sharp, burning pain exploded in his knees. Gritting his teeth, he slowly stretched his legs out again.

"I was right, you do need to see a doctor," Sakura said, worry creasing her features. She pulled the covers down and rolled Sasuke's pant legs up to reveal his knees. The white bandages were stained with blood. Sakura hurried out and reappeared with a fresh role of gauze.

"I can't go to the doctor," Sasuke objected as Sakura removed the dirty bandages. "I don't have time."

"Now isn't the time to be stubborn!" Sakura berated. "Your wounds look worse already. What if they get infected?"

Wincing, Sasuke tried to ignore the stinging pain as Sakura wiped his knees with an alcohol-soaked cloth. "You don't understand. It's not safe for me to go to the doctor. The combination of all my wounds is too suspicious – the doctor will be able to tell I've been attacked. He might contact the police and then we would fall right into Orochimaru's hands."

Sakura frowned. "I didn't think about that…But what about Kabuto? Can't you trust him not to say anything?"

Sasuke hesitated. Could he trust Kabuto? After all, he was very close to Orochimaru…but Orochimaru was just using him. "Yes, I can trust him," he finally answered. "But the problem is I can't get near him because he'll be at headquarters."

"Sasuke's right," Naruto conceded. "We're all alone now."

Silence followed his revelation because they all knew it was true. Sakura broke the silence with a sigh of defeat. "Fine, I guess you can't get medical help. But you have to promise that you won't be too rough on your body."

Sasuke did promise, but as he did Naruto snorted and Sakura sighed again because they all knew, himself included, that he would do exactly the opposite.

After Sakura wrapped fresh gauze around his knees she helped him into a better sitting position. "Alright, so we need a new plan," Sasuke started. "Later tonight Sakura and I will go to her room and stay there. Naruto, you'll still watch Jiraiya's house and trail him when he leaves. When he comes to Sakura's room you'll come in behind him and both of us will ambush him."

"Oh, I get it! And when you and I have him detained Sakura will go get a constable because we'll have proof and Orochimaru can't interfere."

Sasuke hesitated in responding to Naruto. He didn't have any intention of getting the police involved…at least not until Jiraiya was dead. But there was no way he could tell either Naruto or Sakura that. "We'll see what happens," he answered cryptically.

Sakura was shooting him a knowing look that Sasuke pointedly ignored. "Also, I don't understand the first part," Naruto continued. "If you go there with Sakura, won't Jiraiya know and call it off?"

"Like I said, he's not afraid of me. I think he'll come anyways. And it's not like we have much of a choice," Sasuke said gravely. "This is our only chance to bring him to justice."

Naruto was frowning. "And one more thing…will the two of us be strong enough to hold Jiraiya back? I think we can do it…but if we mess up…"

Naruto didn't need to say another word. They all knew what would happen if they messed up. Jiraiya's knife was very sharp and his mind was very unstable. "We can't mess up," Sasuke said seriously.

It was quiet as the three of them became lost in their separate troubled thoughts. Eventually Naruto slowly rose to his feet. "If you two don't mind, I need to take a little time to myself before we prepare for tonight."

Sakura and Sasuke watched him go. No explanation was needed. Sakura stood up soon afterwards. "I think I'll do the same, unless you need me for anything." Sasuke shook his head and she dismissed herself.

The fool sat at his desk, sifting through photographs, trinkets, and notebooks; memories both old and new. A bitter longing welled up within him. How could he have been so fooled? All his life he'd looked up to a man who was a deranged, cold-blooded killer. How had he not seen it? Was he stupid? He clenched his teeth as tears dampened his cheeks. This betrayal was too much – it hit too close to home. He loved Jiraiya like a grandfather...but this deception changed everything. He wanted to hate Jiraiya…but he didn't hate him enough. He refused to let Jiraiya spiral further into darkness.

Naruto would save him; he would show Jiraiya the light, no matter what it took.

The victim took refuge in her room, staring sullenly out the window at the street and buildings below. Dozens of people strolled down the dirty street, the street that was so familiar and dear to her. London was a hellhole to her…but it was all she knew. It was her home, and because of that she couldn't help but love it. It was only fit that she would die there. As she mused, she watched a family walk by: a young couple with a cute young boy between them. Each parent held one of his hands – they were all connected. Her eyes clouded with tears. She never knew that type of love, tenderness, and intimacy…and now she never would.

Sakura knew that Sasuke could protect her, but she wouldn't let him if it would be at the cost of his own life. She would make sure he lived, no matter what it took.

The avenger gazed up at the ceiling of his room that was once white but was now stained yellow from wear and age. He could sympathize with the ceiling. Only a few months ago he was so naïve and innocent, but this case forced maturity upon him and exposed him to so much darkness that he knew the crimson stains would never completely go away. So much death…so much pain…all at the hands of one man. Clenching his fists tightly, he allowed bitterness and fury to consume him. Jiraiya had done too much damage that he could never repent for. His childhood was ripped away from him by that murderer…so he would rip away that murderer's future.

Sasuke refused to let Jiraiya kill any more innocents. He would take Jiraiya's life, no matter what it took.


	26. Ch 25 The Dark Before the Dawn

A/N: I yet again apologize for the long wait. This is my last summer before I start college as a freshman, and I've been gone a lot on multiple mini-vacations. But here it is, the climax of the story you've all been waiting for! And just a heads up this IS NOT the last chapter. There will be one or two more after this one. Thank you to all who are still reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 25: The Dark Before the Dawn

_11:30 PM_

It was time.

Iruka was safely tucked away in his room, hopefully asleep, but they didn't want to take any chances. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura quietly wrapped themselves in woolen layers; November nights in London were bitterly cold, this particular one especially so. Perhaps winter's icy fingers were mocking them, cruelly playing on the fact that at least one life would be lost tonight; at least one body would slowly cool and then chill to reflect the winter air. Nature is cruel.

But man is crueler.

When they were finished bundling up they faced each other silently. The weight of the upcoming night was so heavy that it extinguished any words that tried to leave their lips. There was a lot they could say, but to say it would be admitting defeat.

Sasuke refused to admit defeat, so he stopped Sakura before she could speak. "We're not saying any goodbyes," he said firmly, staring into her watery emerald eyes. "This isn't the end, for any of us. Do you understand?" Sakura hesitated but eventually nodded her head in consent. Sasuke looked at Naruto now, and for once his sky blue eyes were unreadable. There was a battle going on in that vast ocean, but Sasuke wasn't sure who the opponents were. Naruto nodded, but his expression remained stony.

"We should get going," Naruto said. The three of them stepped out into the dark night and began shivering immediately. Naruto locked the door behind them and stepped in the direction of Jiraiya's house before Sakura's hand darted out and clasped his.

"Please be careful, Naruto," she whispered.

"Always." He squeezed her hand reassuringly and smiled briefly before walking briskly away down the cobblestone street.

Sasuke slipped his arm through Sakura's and pulled her gently away, although her eyes remained on Naruto's retreating back until he disappeared from view. They didn't talk at all as they traveled to her room. The streets weren't bustling with activity, but they weren't empty either. Vagabonds were scattered in various states of misery and drunkenness, and prostitutes beckoned to him from every corner. The bars belched out music, laughter, and the smell of cheap beer. Sasuke wondered if Whitechapel would ever be a respectable place again.

They reached her room and Sakura unlocked the door. Fumbling with a pack of matches, she lit the small lamp on the table. "You can tell I haven't been here in awhile. Look how dusty everything is," she commented, rubbing her finger along the top of the table. Sasuke sat down on the bed, causing a cloud of dust to rise up.

"Yeah, you've kind of let it go," he teased.

Sakura didn't laugh. She wore a solemn look on her face as she moved to stand in front of him. "Neither of us know what will happen tonight, Sasuke. You keep saying it will be alright, but the truth is we could die. I love you, I always have, and I want to be with you before the end. It's not about lust or business this time. I want to make love to you."

Before Sasuke could object she kissed him gently. She was right, it wasn't like before. She wasn't kissing him like he was another customer or an old friend. She was kissing him like she loved him, and Sasuke kissed her back passionately. He wrapped his arms around her small waist and pulled her in close to him. Her body was soft and warm against his and dispelled the bitter chill. He wanted to…but he couldn't.

He broke the kiss but still held her in his arms. "Sakura, we're not going to do this. It's not because I don't want to. I love you. But you're giving up, and I won't let you," he said firmly. "There's a time for this, and that's after everything's said and done. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Sakura. This is far from the end."

Sniffing, Sakura tried to blink away the tears in her eyes. "Did you just unofficially propose to me?"

Sasuke smiled. "Yes I did. What's your unofficial answer?"

She lunged forward and kissed him messily on the lips. He fell backward and the kiss was broken as they laughed together. "I'm guessing that's a yes."

Smiling wildly, she buried her face in his neck. "I love you."

He buried his face in her hair and sighed in contentment. "I love you too."

These few minutes would be theirs. Jiraiya wouldn't rip this happiness away from them. Sasuke would have to face the Ripper soon enough, but in this moment, he was free.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Only one more.

Only one more, and then maybe, finally, he would be free.

He could feel the demons stirring in his brain, scurrying around, excited. They knew it was time and their bloodlust was almost insatiable. He hated them. They would never leave. After each kill they would be temporarily satisfied and leave him in peace for a few days, maybe even a week. But they always came back. They always wanted _more_.

This would be his last kill, his final revenge. Sakura was the key to purging the demons from his mind completely. It would be a murder unlike any other; a bloodbath, a _vendetta_. It had to be perfect. Then, maybe, he could finally have peace.

He wanted to do it. He _needed_ to do it. The darkness in his heart was starving – it had been too long. Dark desires began pumping through his veins, poisoning his blood, stealing its oxygen. Inhale, exhale. Clenching fists.

It was time.

Jiraiya opened his sleek silver surgeon's case, making sure that each tool was properly in place. Lightly skidding across the soft red velvet, his fingers brushed each shiny, lethal weapon. Oh how he ached to grasp each one in his hand, ripping through vulnerable pale flesh, leaving splashes of red in his wake…

Snapping the case shut, he clasped it securely in one hand and left his house. Strolling down the dimly lit streets confidently, he had no reason to fear. Orochimaru had given him the schedules of the constables; he knew all their rounds by heart. The only thing he needed to worry about was the residents of Whitechapel themselves. They were a dirty, stupid lot, but they spread gossip like wildfire. He couldn't afford to arouse suspicion.

As he turned the corner he saw a slight flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. Alarmed, he spun around quickly but there was no one behind him. It was probably just a stray cat or something…or maybe it wasn't. Paranoia began to curl its manipulative fingers around the edge of his mind.

Jiraiya began walking more briskly, making sure not to bring too much attention to himself. He would take the back roads – they had more twists and turns. It would make it harder for someone to follow him.

Each step he took toward Sakura brought him closer and closer to complete and utter darkness. He was almost there. He could see her room up ahead. His pace increased and his heart thudded against his chest almost painfully. Gingerly he placed shaking fingers on the doorknob. No one was around to witness it.

The demons swarmed.

Pushing the door open carefully, the devil himself sidled into the room. He could just make out her sleeping form on the bed. His eyes scanned the room carefully. No sign of Sasuke. Jiraiya was surprised and also wary. But he would worry about him later.

It was time. His dark desires couldn't be contained any longer.

Jiraiya set his surgeon's case down on the ground and quietly pulled out one of the knives. Stepping next to the bed, he stared down at his victim. Her face was buried under the blanket. Darkness flooded his mind, but a little stream of regret began flowing in.

"If he had never loved you," he whispered, "you wouldn't have to die."

Then the demons took over completely and the last bit of regret was extinguished forever.

Jiraiya brought the knife down.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

A hand shot up and grabbed Jiraiya's wrist. The knife was mere inches away from the covered head. The blanket was shaken off and Sasuke's determined face appeared where Sakura's terrified one should've been.

Jiraiya's look of surprise faded and was replaced with a smug sneer. "I knew you wouldn't leave her alone. But I admit that I didn't expect this."

Sasuke's grip tightened and he slowly forced the knife away from his face. "You shouldn't underestimate me then."

Jiraiya allowed Sasuke to move the knife, but he didn't loosen his grip on it. "Trust me; I won't make that mistake again."

"What, so are you going to kill me now?" Sasuke sneered.

"I told you before, Sasuke, I have no intention of killing you. I just want Sakura. And if my assumption is correct, you wouldn't have let her out of your sight…which means she's in this very room right now." Jiraiya's gaze drifted toward the bottom of the bed and Sasuke felt panic rising in his chest.

Then Jiraiya made a move.

"Naruto, now!" Sasuke screamed as Jiraiya yanked him out of the bed and bent down to look underneath it. Naruto burst through the door and leaped onto Jiraiya's back, causing him to grunt in surprise. Stumbling across the room, Jiraiya attempted to shake Naruto off. He slammed back into the wall, causing Naruto to yelp in pain. Sasuke jumped to his feet and grasped Jiraiya's arms, restraining them so he couldn't pull Naruto off. It was going to be difficult to pin him down. He was strong.

After a few more minutes of struggling Jiraiya's stamina began to drop and Sasuke took the chance to sweep Jiraiya's feet out from under him. When Jiraiya crashed to the ground Sasuke slid behind him and pinned his arms behind his back while Naruto sat on his legs.

"How could you do this?" Naruto demanded, glaring into Jiraiya's cool, unblinking eyes. "You've been our friend all these years. We trusted you. I trusted you…" His fingers bunched up the fabric of Jiraiya's pants as outrage and anguish battled fiercely for dominance.

Jiraiya's blank expression didn't change. "I deceived you, Naruto. It's as simple as that. You and Iruka were so easy to manipulate, like putty in my hand. Iruka has a big heart, which makes him an even bigger fool. And you have followed in his footsteps completely."

Hurt flashed across Naruto's face and tears began to well up in his eyes. "I don't believe you. You've always been so kind to us…so fatherly to me. Besides Iruka, I consider you my dad!"

Jiraiya's expression changed for a brief moment and something akin to grief revealed itself in his features. But then he buried it and hardened his heart. "You've never been my son and you never will be."

The tears that had been pooling began streaming down Naruto's face. "But you don't understand…I love you!"

But Jiraiya wasn't looking at Naruto anymore. He was looking past him. Naruto's back was turned and Sasuke's vision was blocked by Jiraiya's body. Jiraiya was the only one who saw Sakura sliding out from underneath the bed.

He attacked.

In one tremendous motion Jiraiya kicked Naruto off his legs and slammed Sasuke back into the wall. Sasuke released his grip out of shock as black spots began swimming in front of his eyes. His vision cleared in time for him to see Jiraiya charging at Sakura, knife in hand. Panicking, he struggled to his feet, but he couldn't move fast enough. Jiraiya had too much of a head start. He watched in horror as Jiraiya brought the knife down toward Sakura's petrified form.

Blood splattered the wall.

Sakura screamed as Naruto fell to his knees, the knife embedded deep in his shoulder. Blood saturated his shirt and Sakura quickly kneeled down next to him, ripping a piece off her dress to help staunch the flow of blood.

Sasuke watched horrified as his best friend bled to death on the floor. Jiraiya watched also, but with a mixture of fury and regret. "No!" he barked. "It wasn't supposed to be you! If you had just left the whore alone – "

Slamming into Jiraiya's body, Sasuke used his element of surprise to knock Jiraiya onto the floor. As he grappled with Jiraiya, he turned toward Sakura and screamed, "Take Naruto and leave, Sakura! He needs help or he'll die."

Sakura knew he was right. She couldn't stop the bleeding – he needed professional help. But she didn't want to leave Sasuke alone with this murderer. "But – "

"Just go! I'll be fine!" Sasuke pleaded.

Reluctantly, Sakura helped Naruto to his feet and slung his good arm over her shoulder. With difficulty she stumbled out the door and onto the dark streets.

As Sasuke watched them go, he noticed that Jiraiya had stopped struggling. He looked down and saw Jiraiya looking up at him with those cool, collected eyes. A chill ran up his spine. Sasuke didn't like this situation. He didn't like it at all.

"I'm glad they left. Now I have you alone."

Fear and curiosity mixed within Sasuke, prompting him to ask, "What do you mean?"

That look was back again, the one Jiraiya seemed to reserve specifically for Sasuke. "There's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time, but I was never able to. There were always people guarding you, shielding you from the truth. But now you're free from those restraints, and you deserve to know."

Goosebumps blossomed along Sasuke's skin. He wanted to know…but he was also afraid to find out. Maybe people shielded him for a reason…but he _needed_ to know. "Tell me."

Jiraiya's coal eyes bore into Sasuke's matching ones. "You're my son, Sasuke."

Time should have stopped. Sasuke expected it to. Why wouldn't it? His entire life was just shattered. His very existence just became a lie. How could the world continue turning when Sasuke couldn't even remember how to breathe?

But time stopped for no one.

"You're lying," Sasuke choked out.

"I expected you to say that. I know it's hard to take in, after you've been lied to all these years, but it's the truth." Sasuke was so numb that he didn't even feel it when Jiraiya slowly shifted Sasuke off of him and rose to his feet. He stared down in apathy as Sasuke met his eyes helplessly. "My blood runs in your veins, Sasuke. I am your father."

Then Sasuke knew he couldn't deny it. His mother's diaries resurfaced in his memory. She slept with Jiraiya and after that there were numerous entries missing. In one she even wrote that she was afraid Jiraiya had told Sasuke everything…Sasuke had wondered what she was trying to hide. Now he knew. His mother didn't want him to know that his father wasn't his real father at all…that Itachi was only his half-brother.

Pain shot through his chest and his throat tightened. He couldn't cry. Jiraiya could use that weakness and control him. "Why…why tell me now?" Sasuke ground out. "Why tell me after all these years?"

Jiraiya sighed, watching Sasuke's face closely. "Mikoto was afraid. She didn't want to tear apart her family, so she shunned me. I didn't want to leave her. I loved her…" His features softened and his words became gentle. "But I understood why she had to. That is until I discovered she was pregnant. She never said that it was mine, but I knew. She and Fugaku hadn't slept together in a long time; she told me herself. It had to be mine."

Sasuke didn't like the possession in Jiraiya's voice. It made him wary…and frightened.

"I wanted to be in my child's life. I begged her, but she refused. I tried to send toys and gifts, but she wouldn't even accept those. I loved her so I respected her wishes, but I couldn't just pretend like it had never happened and move on. So I hovered on the perimeters of your life. I became a family friend so I could at least watch you grow up from afar. Mikoto didn't like it, but she didn't want to make a scene so she allowed it. During that time Naruto became attached to me and I to him…he was almost like a son to me. I'd always wanted children, but Tsunade didn't. He soothed the aching in my heart – but it wasn't enough. I waited twelve long years…but then I couldn't take it any longer."

Sasuke knew the story was taking a turn for the worst. He didn't want to hear this…but he needed to.

"It was killing me, Sasuke, watching you grow up away from me, being fathered by a man who wasn't even your own flesh and blood. That should've been me!" Pain laced itself through Jiraiya's features, contorting his face in agony. "You were twelve years old and you would be a man soon enough. You deserved to know the truth. I begged Mikoto, pleaded, but she remained firm. Desperation took a hold of me and I threatened to tell you anyways. This made her upset and angry. She told me that if I didn't leave your life forever, she would accuse me of rape." His eyes filling with fury, Jiraiya stomped across the room to the fireplace, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Something inside me snapped and I began nursing a hatred that refused to die. I knew there was only one way I could tell you, only one way I could be a part of your life."

_Please no_, Sasuke silently pleaded. _Please God, no. _But he couldn't stop Jiraiya's next words, as he sat crumpled and submissive on the dirty floor. Jiraiya held all the power, towering above him, surrounded by darkness.

"I waited until the anniversary of that night, the happiest and worst night of my life. I killed Fugaku first. I despised him; it gave me pleasure to remove his despicable presence from this world. Then I went to Mikoto next. Now it was her time to beg _me_. She wanted me to spare you and Itachi. She didn't realize that I had no intention of killing you. I told her that I would take good care of you. It was harder to kill her – a part of me still loved her. But my newly awakened demons fed coal into the fire that fostered my hate. It was more powerful than my love.

"I left before you and Itachi returned home. You couldn't know that I killed your parents or you would never come with me. I was going to wait for a time when I could kill Itachi and take you, but he never let you out of his sight. You moved away, and I lost you again."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Sasuke tried to pull his emotions together. Loathing, fear, misery, and confusion were all battling for dominance, but none of them were winning. Instead, they all combined in one big melting pot. His head exploded with white noise, blinding and deafening him. All he knew in that moment was complete and utter helplessness.

"If you wanted me so badly, then why have you always treated me with such hatred?" Sasuke demanded weakly. "I could always see it in your eyes, how you wish I'd never been born."

Jiraiya surprised Sasuke by chuckling. "You really don't get it, do you boy? Of course I hate you. I hate you for being like Fugaku instead of being like me. I hate you for looking like her, for reminding me of her every time I see you. I hate you for being just within my reach all the time but I could never fucking touch you. But most of all, I hate you for loving Sakura."

He was advancing toward Sasuke now as Sasuke scuttled backward on the ground, trying to put distance between them. As his back hit the wall Sasuke panicked, looking around frantically for something to defend himself with. But Jiraiya was quick and he threaded his fingers through Sasuke's hair, yanking him up and slamming him against the wall. Crying out in pain, Sasuke desperately tried to free himself, but Jiraiya snatched his wrists and forced them against the wall above Sasuke's head.

"It's not fair," Jiraiya growled, tightening his grip on Sasuke's wrists painfully. "Why should you find love, with a whore no less, when that's all I've wanted my entire life? Every woman I've loved has rejected me. Why should you be happy when I'm miserable?"

Sasuke attempted to knee Jiraiya in the groin but Jiraiya trapped his legs with his. Pulling Sasuke's head back by his hair, Jiraiya forced Sasuke to look him in the eyes. There were mere inches apart. Sasuke could feel Jiraiya's hot breath on his face and his eyes bore into Sasuke's with that _look_.

"Itachi is in jail, Naruto is dying, and Sakura will be dead soon enough. You've been kept from me all these years, but no more. No one else can have you." Jiraiya bent down to whisper possessively in Sasuke's ear. "You are _mine_."

Cold fear spread throughout Sasuke's entire body. His fight or flight response was going off frantically, but he could do neither. Jiraiya's eyes were burning with that look and Sasuke finally knew what it was – _longing_.

And Sasuke was terrified of it.

The only thing he could do was talk his way out of it. "So – so what now?" Sasuke stuttered, hating the shakiness in his voice. "You're going to kill Sakura then kidnap me and try to be my father? Then what? I won't cooperate. I hate you and I'll never be your son!"

Jiraiya pulled back to reveal the mania in his eyes. All of the calmness and control was gone. The demons had taken over. "Oh, you'll cooperate alright. I can be very…convincing." Jiraiya suddenly pulled Sasuke away from the wall and flung him to the ground. Sasuke grunted in pain, watching as Jiraiya kneeled down next to his surgeon's case and pulled out a short, thin knife.

Sasuke's eyes widened and his heart rate quickened. He was frozen in fear. What was this madman going to do?

"Don't be afraid, Sasuke," Jiraiya said in a way that was probably meant to be reassuring as he slowly advanced with the knife. "I'm not going to kill you, and I won't hurt you unless you make me." Jiraiya crouched down in front of Sasuke, caressing the knife lovingly. Sasuke watched with growing horror. "Are you going to make me, Sasuke?"

_Move, damn it, move!_ Sasuke screamed at himself, trying to motivate his numb arms and legs to do something, _anything!_ He had to protect Sakura, and now himself.

"Please don't do this, Jiraiya," Sasuke begged, slowly scooting backwards as he spoke. "Just think of all you've done, all the pain and destruction you've caused. You said you're controlled by your demons. Do you really want to be manipulated by them forever? You can be stronger than them! Don't do this; stop your trail of blood and gore. You can be better than this. Naruto believes you're better than this." Sasuke's voice dropped to a whisper. "My mother believed you were better than this."

Jiraiya's fingers jolted to a stop and the mania in his eyes was clouded by doubt. The knife sensed his hesitance and growled in annoyance, longing for Jiraiya to play with it yet again and quench its thirst for blood. Jiraiya could feel its growing impatience and succumbed to it, tightening his grip on the knife. "I _need_ to do this, Sasuke. I couldn't stop, even if I wanted to. The seed was planted the moment I killed your father. I can never escape the darkness…I'll live in it and die in it."

Sasuke could see that Jiraiya was battling with himself. He may have committed monstrosities, but he was still human. Sasuke just needed to keep pushing. "So you're giving up?" he spat. "That's pathetic! You're stronger than that. Don't give in!"

Grinding his teeth, Jiraiya threaded his free hand through his hair. "It's not that simple! The ball is already rolling – there's no stopping it now. Events will unfold as they should."

Desperate now, Sasuke knew he wasn't winning. He wasn't getting completely through to the man; his demons had a strong grip on him. Sasuke could only think of one last thing to say…but it killed him to do so. Swallowing the resistance in his throat, Sasuke looked Jiraiya straight in the eyes and said, "So you're even willing to drag your own _son_ into the darkness with you, into your hell, if it means satisfying your bloodlust?"

Jiraiya's breath caught in his throat and the darkness in his heart retracted its greedy fingers ever so slightly. "I never wanted that for you. I never wanted to bring you into this horror. All I wanted was to be in your life. I longer to raise you…to learn to be a good father."

His throat tightening with emotion, Sasuke clamped his mouth shut, afraid of his words. This wasn't supposed to be happening. Jiraiya wasn't supposed to get to him like this.

Suddenly Jiraiya's mood changed and his grip on the knife tightened. "But there's no use dwelling on the past. I can't change it. I can only move forward!" Then Jiraiya lunged and Sasuke narrowly avoided getting tackled. Rolling over to the surgeon's case, he snatched up a long, thick knife to defend himself with. He knew he wasn't strong enough to overpower Jiraiya, so he would just have to hope that Jiraiya was so manic that he wouldn't think straight.

But then again, Sasuke himself could barely think straight over the frantic pounding of his own heart.

Then Jiraiya was charging at him again and Sasuke dodged out of the way. Jiraiya was just recklessly throwing his weight around – maybe Sasuke did have a chance. Well, he had an idea at least. Jiraiya stalked toward him and Sasuke allowed himself to be backed up against the wall. Before Jiraiya could make a move Sasuke grabbed both of Jiraiya's wrists and restrained his legs with his own. Jiraiya could easily free himself, but Sasuke hoped he would senselessly use the only body part that was free. Jiraiya didn't disappoint.

Growling menacingly, Jiraiya threw his head forward and Sasuke easily swung his head to the side, causing Jiraiya to head butt the wall hard. As Jiraiya grunted in pain Sasuke took the opportunity to shove Jiraiya to the ground, straddling him and swiping the knife from his hand in one fluid motion.

Sasuke pressed the blade against Jiraiya's throat. "I should slit your throat," he hissed, "just as you did to your victims."

Jiraiya cackled and there was an insane edge to his voice. "You think you're really capable of doing it? Of taking a life? You're no more capable now than you were when you tried to attack me in my basement. But I guess I shouldn't be too hard on you. The first time is always difficult. But then you get a taste for it…and you just can't stop."

Snarling, Sasuke put more pressure on the blade, slicing through the first layer of skin and creating a necklace of blood. "I will never be like you!" he growled. "I won't enjoy it…but I will kill you."

Suddenly Jiraiya's features contorted into agony and desperation. "Please, Sasuke, do it," he begged. "I can't control myself anymore. Just end it now. If I have to die by anyone's hands, I want it to be yours. Please save me from myself."

His fingers were shaking. He should do it now, while Jiraiya was complacent. Isn't this what he promised himself he would do? For Sakura, for the victims, and for himself? Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat, pressing down harder on the knife. Then his eyes met Jiraiya's, matching his own, and Sasuke knew he couldn't, wouldn't, do it.

"I won't kill you," he admitted, pulling the knife away from Jiraiya's throat. "I won't be like you."

Jiraiya breathed in deeply and released it. "I knew you wouldn't." He was silent for a moment before he chuckled lightly. "You know what I've always found ironic? Do you remember the day we all gathered at headquarters and discussed the Ripper case for the first time? It seems so long ago now…and of course it wasn't called the Ripper case in the beginning. No one knew the killer's name…so you suggested the alias of Jack the Ripper. I found it slightly funny and overwhelmingly sad that you named me, but I didn't get to choose your name. The son named the father. Completely backwards and twisted, just like our relationship I suppose."

Sasuke was enthralled by this soft side of Jiraiya. His words were gentle and his eyes expressive, not calm and collected like usual. In this moment, there was no Jack the Ripper. There was only Jiraiya. Sasuke was so transfixed that he flinched but didn't move away when Jiraiya's hand caressed his face.

"Sasuke," he murmured, his eyes scanning every inch of Sasuke's face. "You look so much like your mother, and not much like me at all. But you have my eyes, and I'm grateful for that at least."

He knew that he should be disgusted by the touch, by these hands stained with the blood of his parents and friends. But he couldn't bring himself to smack the hand away. His father was not a very affectionate man. He never hugged Sasuke or stroked his hair except for when he was a baby. This touch was comforting, reassuring. Sasuke wanted it.

Their eyes locked and Jiraiya's were overflowing with emotion. Sasuke wasn't sure what Jiraiya read in his own eyes, but whatever was there must've been powerful. Tears welled up in Jiraiya eyes and began sliding down his cheeks.

"What I hate the most about you, Sasuke, is that I ever started loving you."

Before Sasuke could respond Jiraiya's eyes clamped shut and he gripped his head. He grunted and gritted his teeth. His body started shaking and Sasuke knew he was fighting something off. "Go away. I can't control myself," Jiraiya said forcefully. Sasuke didn't budge. Then Jiraiya's eyes flashed open. He ripped the knife from Sasuke's hand and kicked him off. Sasuke slid a few feet, closing his eyes against the painful impact. By the time he opened them it was too late to do anything.

The knife was poised over Jiraiya's heart. His coal eyes, a blend of mania, pain, and sincerity, bore into Sasuke's. "Remember me, Sasuke."

Jiraiya was a surgeon. His aim was accurate. He was dead within seconds.

The room was silent. It was over. Sasuke should've been relieved…but he wasn't. Jiraiya's hand was slack as his lifeblood trickled down it in maroon streams. Sasuke had almost expected it to be black. He had imagined that when Jiraiya pierced his own heart, the demons would screech like banshees, mortified that they were betrayed by their host. Then the darkness that had taken over Jiraiya's heart would slowly leak out in a black, tar-like river, and when his soul was purged of all evil, the man's true essence would be released through his body's crimson sustenance.

But that was foolish. If darkness was released through the blood, then everyone would have ink running through their veins.

Crawling on his hands and knees, he approached Jiraiya's body. His eyes still bore into Sasuke's, even in death. They were a reminder of the truth that he could never escape. The truth…Sasuke didn't know what possessed him to do it, but he gently placed his fingertips on Jiraiya's eyelids and brushed his skin. Now only one pair of coal eyes was left.

Jiraiya's face was peaceful. He no longer looked sad or angry or crazy…he simply looked free. Death had taken his burden away. Sasuke hoped he could find something else to take _his_ away.

There were noises outside the door. Suddenly two constables burst into the room, followed by Sakura. They all froze at the sight of Jiraiya's corpse. "What happened here, kid? Are you alright?" one of the constables asked.

Sasuke didn't reply. His empty eyes met Sakura's, who watched him worriedly. She understood. "Please leave him be for now," she begged the constables. "He's had a traumatic experience. He's not ready to talk yet."

They nodded. "I understand, son," the other constable said. "Why don't you step outside and get some fresh air?"

Sasuke slowly rose to his feet. He walked past, not making eye contact with any of them. He could tell Sakura wanted to touch him, talk to him, but she resisted. For that, he was grateful.

It was light outside, but there was no sun. Clouds shrouded the sky. They looked heavy, like they were carrying an unwanted burden. He could sympathize. Sure enough, droplets of water began to dot his face. Closing his eyes, Sasuke tilted his face toward the downpour.

The rain was supposed to be cleansing, purifying, but all Sasuke could feel were ashes tainting his skin.


	27. Ch 26 Burning the Ashes

A/N: Hello everyone! I know it's been awhile, but the final chapter is finally here! I almost didn't want to finish writing it because I'll be sad to be done with this story. I started it as a freshman in high school and now I'm a freshman in college and it's finally done. I've loved writing it, and I hope all of you have enjoyed reading it! This story wouldn't be what it is without all of my faithful readers and reviewers, so thanks to all of you for your dedication! I really appreciate it. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Jack the Ripper.

Ashes Ashes, We All Fall Down

Chapter 26: Burning the Ashes

Sasuke was walking, but his brain wasn't commanding his limbs. His mind was numb and his senses seemed to be dulled also, because he couldn't feel the uneven cobblestones beneath his feet or the harsh chill of the day. It had been hours since…the event. The police were swarming Sakura's room and the area around it, investigating the crime scene and keeping the ogling bystanders at bay. They had already questioned him, and he told them everything they needed to know.

Except that everything wasn't a lot.

He told them that Jiraiya revealed himself as Jack the Ripper, and he murdered those four women, along with the handwriting analyst and Kankuro Lusk. He told them that Sakura was going to be his next victim and that Sasuke and Naruto came to protect her. He told them that Jiraiya was mad, and in his insanity, he took his own life.

They believed every word, never suspecting that he was only giving them the tip of the iceberg. They never suspected that there was more to Jiraiya than simply a murderous madman. Never questioned that there might be a story, a human being, beneath all the blood. Sasuke was sickened by them.

It was what he didn't tell them that was important. That Jiraiya knew all those women personally; that he was exacting revenge on them because of the original hurt done to him by his wife. That he wasn't simply insane, but he was damaged, controlled by his hate and his fury. That he didn't take his own life because he was mad, but because he had nothing left to live for anymore. That he loved Sasuke's mother and murdered her, along with his father. That Sasuke was his son.

Those were the important things that the world would never know, could never know. The world couldn't be expected to understand something so complex, so personal. They would just twist it and taint it with poisonous words and thoughts. So Sasuke was going to make sure it stayed a secret.

The large, grand house looked the same as when he'd been held captive in it, except for the wooden police barricades encircling it and the throngs of curious onlookers crowding at the corners. Sasuke ignored their stares as he strode silently up to the front door. The constable guarding the door made a noise of indignation.

"Hey, you can't come in here! It's a police investigation."

Sasuke stared at him blankly, too exhausted to argue. Thankfully the door opened and Shikamaru came out, looking at Sasuke with surprise. "Sasuke, what are you doing here? You should be at home, resting."

"I can't. I need to see something," he said simply.

Shikamaru regarded him carefully before slowly nodding. "Alright, come in."

Sasuke slipped past him, silently stepping through the house that was swarming with officers. Everything was being overturned and searched. All privacy was gone. Sasuke just hoped they hadn't found the hidden safe.

"What do you need to see?" Shikamaru asked gently. Treating Sasuke like he was delicate, fragile; thinking he was traumatized because he witnessed a suicide. He had no idea. No one did.

"Jiraiya's room," Sasuke mumbled. "I would like to be alone for a few minutes. Jiraiya was a family friend…I'd like to see his room."

Shikamaru nodded. "I'll go clear it out."

Sasuke followed Shikamaru up the staircase and to Jiraiya's door. Shikamaru quietly explained the situation to the officers in the room and they left, eyeing Sasuke with pity. Then Shikamaru squeezed Sasuke's shoulder and left him alone.

The once elegant room was cold. Sasuke skimmed his fingers along the portrait of Jiraiya and Tsunade, understanding its significance now. He wondered if Jiraiya had done the same, staring at it, lightly caressing it; infusing it with all his love and bitterness. Using it to hide the truth…

Sasuke lifted the portrait and set it aside, revealing the black safe that had given him so much frustration before. Now it seemed so easy. He twisted the knob smoothly, entering the date of his birth. The door popped open with ease.

Multiple items rested within the depths of the safe. Sasuke gingerly picked up a small stuffed animal – an octopus. Its animated features revealed it to be a toy for a baby. A gift that was never given. Sasuke swallowed hard, clutching the toy against his chest. Next to the octopus were some photographs, and when Sasuke glanced at them, his own younger face greeted him. He was never looking at the camera and the pictures were taken from slightly far away. His mother never let Jiraiya get close to him. Jiraiya must have taken these in secret.

The last object in the safe was small pile of papers. Ripped out of a notebook and inscribed with dates. His mother's missing journal entries. Sasuke's fingers trembled as his eyes poured over his mother's neat scrawl. He didn't need to read them – he already knew their secrets. But why did Jiraiya have them? He'd always assumed his mother had destroyed them or hidden them. Maybe Jiraiya had found them when he killed his parents and took them so Sasuke wouldn't find out. Because Jiraiya wanted to reveal the truth himself…

Inhaling deeply, Sasuke stowed the items in his pockets and closed the safe, returning the portrait to its rightful place. Now the evidence was gone. The police could tear the house apart down to its foundations, but the skeleton in the closet had turned to dust and blown away.

The world would remember Jiraiya as Jack the Ripper – a murderer and a monster. But Sasuke would remember him first and foremost as a man – a man who was his father.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Sitting on the damp, familiar earth of Whitechapel Cemetery, Sasuke leaned against the side of his mother's smooth tombstone. Normally the cool marble would soothe him, but now it just froze his veins. His mother couldn't comfort him today.

The rusty gate of the cemetery creaked and Sasuke glanced up to see whether it was the wind or a visitor. His jaw nearly dropped.

"I-Itachi?" he stuttered.

Sure enough, his older brother was striding toward him. It felt like months since he'd last seen him, although it had only been a little over a week. Itachi looked exhausted. The wrinkles in his face were more pronounced and his obsidian eyes were dull. Yet he still managed a small smile when he stood in front of him. "Sasuke," he greeted.

Sasuke was overjoyed to see him. "Did they let you go?"

Itachi nodded. "I was cleared of all murder charges and released an hour ago. Kakashi told me everything that happened. I knew I would find you here." He kneeled down, staring at Sasuke gently. "Are you okay, little brother?"

_Little brother_. Sasuke flinched at that false title. It was only half true…Itachi was only his half-brother. Maybe that's why he was always in his shadow…always the lesser one.

Itachi could sense something was wrong. "Sasuke," he said firmly but kindly. "What happened between you and Jiraiya? I don't want the version you told the police. Tell me the truth."

Sasuke's breath hitched in his throat. "Itachi…did you know?"

"Know what?" Itachi asked carefully.

"Did you know that Jiraiya was…" Sasuke's words knotted in his throat. It was difficult to say the words out loud. "That he was…my…"

"Did I know that Jiraiya was your biological father?" Itachi asked softly.

Sasuke looked at him in shock. "How long have you known?"

Sighing, Itachi settled into a more comfortable position on the ground. "When our parents were murdered, you know that I did everything I could to figure out who was responsible. Part of my investigation involved going through our parents' personal belongings. I found mother's journals, as I assume you did too. I read about her affair with Jiraiya. I suspected that Jiraiya had something to do with their deaths, but he lacked a strong enough motive. Then I put two and two together and came to the realization that you must've been the product of their affair."

Sasuke gaped at him. "You knew he killed them and didn't do anything about it?"

"I didn't have any proof, just conjecture," Itachi pointed out. "And I was afraid that if I pointed a finger at him, he might try to hurt you or take you. I couldn't lose you, so I just kept an eye on Jiraiya and a closer eye on you. I thought we were safe when we moved away from Whitechapel, but then fate brought us back again. But I never suspected that Jiraiya might be Jack the Ripper until after I was framed. Then I realized the Ripper had to know me somewhat personally or have some inside knowledge in order to frame me so well, and Jiraiya was on that list of suspects."

Sasuke listened quietly. Itachi spoke so objectively about such a subjective topic. Sasuke didn't want to know the logic behind it – he wanted to know Itachi's feelings. "Did you hate mom for what she did?"

Itachi regarded Sasuke, contemplating. "At first, yes," he said honestly. "I hated her for betraying father, and for lying to us. But eventually I came to forgive her. She made a mistake, just like all of us do. There was nothing to gain from holding a grudge against her."

Sasuke nodded slowly, then, avoiding Itachi's eyes, whispered, "Did you hate me?"

There was silence. Sasuke was afraid to look up, afraid of the answer. Then came a quiet but audible "no". Sasuke looked up at his brother carefully.

"No, I never hated you," Itachi said sincerely. "It was mother's mistake, not yours. You had no choice in the matter. I never stopped loving you, and I never considered you any less of a brother."

His eyes growing moist, Sasuke buried his face in Itachi's shoulder to hide it. "I was so worried," he said shakily, "that you would consider me a half-brother. That you would be…angry at me."

Itachi's gentle hand brushed through his hair. "Not for a moment."

Smiling, Sasuke pulled away, composing himself. Then another thought struck him, causing his smile to fade instantly. "Mom…do you think she…regretted me?"

As if he was prepared for it, Itachi reached into his pocket and pulled out an off-white envelope. Inscribed on the front in his mother's neat scrawl was Sasuke's name. Sasuke took it, regarding Itachi with questioning eyes.

"A few days before her death, mother gave this to me. She told me not to open it, and that I should give it to you at the right time. I didn't understand at the time, but after I came to the realization about you, I figured it had to do with that. I've held onto it all this time, and in light of what's happened, you deserve to know."

Sasuke's fingers tightened around it gratefully. "Thank you."

Itachi smiled, standing up slowly. He turned to leave but stopped, glancing back at Sasuke thoughtfully. "I always knew you could do it. I didn't just hand the investigation over to you because I was tired. I know you've always felt like you've been repressed by my shadow, but you haven't. You're more intelligent, stronger, and tremendously more brave than I could ever hope to be. Never let anyone tell you otherwise, Sasuke."

Watching his brother's retreating figure, Sasuke relished the warmth that was spreading through his body. Through all the darkness, the death, and the pain, he still had his brother. Itachi's acknowledgement meant more to him than any promotion or letter of recommendation ever would.

The teasing wind caused the letter in his hands to flutter. Sasuke stared down at it and cautiously peeled the flap open, his fingers tingling with dread and excitement. Pulling out a neatly folded letter, Sasuke began to read:

_My Dear Sasuke,_

_If you're reading this then that means your life has just been turned upside down, and for that I'm more sorry than you'll ever know. I made a great mistake when I got involved with Jiraiya; I know that I betrayed your brother and your father. But even though I acknowledge my mistake, I don't regret it one bit. Because my mistake brought me you, and you are the most important thing in my life. I love you so much, Sasuke. I would never, ever go back and try to change the past; I could never lose you. Don't forget that, Sasuke, ever._

_ Also, if you're reading this then that means I'm no longer of this earth. For this, I also apologize. I would love nothing more than to watch you and Itachi grow up and start your own lives. Unfortunately, I can't be part of your lives anymore, but I will always be watching. I may not be there physically, but I'll always be in your hearts. If you talk, I will listen. You and Itachi will always have each other; my two beautiful sons._

_ Goodbye, Sasuke_

_ Love, your mother_

Sasuke didn't feel ashamed of crying. He allowed the salty tears to soak his cheeks, clutching his mother's letter to his chest. His greatest fear had been absolved, and now everything else became a little easier to accept.

Taking a deep breath of the crisp air, Sasuke wiped his cheeks with his sleeves and delicately tucked the letter in his pocket. Standing up, he stood in front of his parents' graves, observing them with a mixture of sadness and confidence. He went to his father's first and kissed the smooth marble. Then he went to his mother's, trailing his fingers over her engraved name. "Thank you," he whispered, pressing his lips to the cold surface, "for not regretting me."

Turning, he strode toward the gates of the cemetery with purpose in his step. There was still one more loose end to tie up.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Sasuke let himself into Orochimaru's office, closing the door firmly behind him. Orochimaru glanced up from his paperwork and smiled with false politeness. "How wonderful to see you, Sasuke. Please, sit down." Ignoring him, Sasuke placed his hands on the desk and bent forward so he was glaring down at him. Orochimaru merely continued to smile. "I heard you had quite a traumatic experience. It's not every day that someone faces off against a cold-blooded killer."

"You don't have to pretend anymore, Orochimaru," Sasuke snarled. "I already know what you are."

Orochimaru cocked his head to the side curiously. "And what is that?"

"A demon," Sasuke hissed. "A manipulative, power-hungry, insensitive demon."

"I'm glad you think so highly of me," Orochimaru purred.

Sasuke could've ripped apart that pale, smirking face. "This isn't a joke."

"Ah, but to me it is." Orochimaru set down his pen and allowed his smirk to fade. "What do you want, Sasuke, besides to insult me?"

"You. Dead," Sasuke growled. "But I'll settle for life in prison as an alternative."

The sadistic smile returned. "Under what charges?"

"Assistance in the murder of three women and the attempted murder of one. Kidnapping. Obstruction of justice. Framing a fellow inspector for murder. And the abuse of your position," Sasuke listed off.

Orochimaru chuckled. "That's all wonderful, my dear, but what proof do you have?"

"My word," Sasuke hissed.

"Your word against mine? That's laughable. And nice try, but you've already given your testimony and you said nothing about me. Smart boy. You know I'm _untouchable._"

"You are _not_ untouchable." Sasuke leaned in close to Orochimaru's face, his furious coal eyes burning into cool golden ones. "You're right – I can't do anything to you right now. But you won't walk free forever. I _will_ show everyone what you truly are, and you _will_ fall."

The golden eyes turned venomous, but the smirk remained. "It's cute that you're so confident, Sasuke. I guess I'll humor you for now. I'm promoting you. Instead of being the note-taking boy, you are now an inspector."

Taken aback, Sasuke eyed him suspiciously. "Are you trying to bribe me?"

Orochimaru actually snorted. "Do you really think I need to bribe to get what I want? You solved the case, discovered who Jack the Ripper was, and put an end to his murders. I have to promote you. Everyone would think it was strange if I didn't."

Sasuke's mouth dropped open and he stared at Orochimaru in sickened disbelief. "That's all you care about. The surface of things. How everything reflects back on _you_. You don't even care that your friend killed himself."

"Friend is a strong word," Orochimaru mused. "_Pawn_ would be a better fit."

It took all of the will-power he possessed not to leap at Orochimaru and snap every one of his bones. "Jiraiya was never the monster," he whispered. "It was always you." Spinning around, he stomped out the door.

He nearly crashed face-first into Kabuto, who observed him with surprise and worry. "Sasuke, are you alright? You look devastated."

Kabuto. He regarded Orochimaru as his savior, and Orochimaru cared nothing for him. When he found out Orochimaru helped in Shizune's death…it would crush him. "I'm so sorry, Kabuto," he breathed before taking off, leaving Kabuto confused behind him.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

The hospital was probably the cleanest place in Whitechapel. The walls were pure white and everything smelled of sanitary fluid. Clean and respectable on the surface, but the truth was that people died here.

Turning a corner, Sasuke approached the door that the receptionist had directed him to. It was open and inside he could see Naruto resting on the bed, talking to Iruka and Sakura. He quietly made his entrance. Naruto was the first to notice him.

"Sasuke!" he exclaimed, grinning widely. Even in his foul mood, Sasuke couldn't help but smile back.

"How are you feeling, dork?" he lightly teased, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Not too bad. The doctor said that I'm in no mortal danger, but I have to stay in the hospital for a couple days so I don't do something stupid and rip the stitches." Naruto chuckled but then winced in pain.

"What about you, Sasuke?" Sakura asked carefully. "How are you feeling?"

Sasuke hesitated. How much should he tell them? And with Iruka in the room?

Iruka seemed to notice Sasuke's hesitance and stood up, stretching his arms. "Well, I've been here all day so I'm going to go grab a coffee and stretch my legs out a bit. I'll be back in a little while." He nonchalantly closed the door on his way out.

Now that Iruka was gone Sasuke could speak more freely. But that still left the question of _how much_? They were his friends and he trusted them with his life. But Naruto…he thought of Jiraiya as a father. He was already broken enough by the fact that Jiraiya was a murderer. If Naruto knew that Sasuke was Jiraiya's biological son…would he hate Sasuke? Would he be crushed even more? And Sakura…Sasuke had told her he wanted to marry her. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He would tell her everything…eventually.

"A lot happened in that room after you both left," Sasuke began. "Honestly, I'm still trying to understand everything myself. But after you left we argued and had a scuffle. Jiraiya…he wasn't right in the head. There were demons inside of him, fighting to control his mind. He kept…changing. He would speak like a madman and then his demeanor would change completely and he would be afraid and insecure. Everything that's happened to him and everything he's done – I think it started chipping away at his sanity. In the end he couldn't control it anymore and he crumbled."

Sasuke paused, watching sadly as Naruto fought to hold back tears. Sakura had probably already told him that Jiraiya was dead. But Sakura didn't know that Sasuke didn't kill him, so Naruto probably thought he was responsible. "Naruto," he said gently, "I want you to know that in his last moments, he was _Jiraiya_. I saw it in his eyes. The pain and the hate disappeared – Jack the Ripper disappeared – and only _he_ was left. He took his own life, Naruto. Not because he was crazy, but because he knew it was for the best. He recognized what he had become and didn't want to live like that anymore. He freed himself from the darkness."

Tears were streaming down Naruto's tan cheeks, but he was smiling slightly. "I'm so glad," he whispered as he unconsciously brushed his fingertips over the bandages on his shoulder.

"And he never meant to hurt you," Sasuke added. "He regretted it the moment it happened. And when we were arguing, he told me he'd always thought of you as a son."

Smiling cautiously, Naruto sniffed and asked, "Are you only telling me this to make me feel better?"

"I swear it's the truth."

Naruto's smile fully bloomed. "Thank you, Sasuke."

Sasuke turned to Sakura, who was biting her lip and clutching her arms tightly. "Sakura, Jiraiya never hated you. He didn't want to kill you because of _you_. It was because of me."

Both Naruto and Sakura looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I told you about how Jiraiya had an affair with my mother and killed my parents," he said, carefully editing the truth. "Well, because of that he's always hated me. He sees my mother in me, which reminds him of what happened. He saw that Sakura and I love each other, and it made him bitter. None of his romances have worked out, especially not his relationship with my mother, so he hated me for finding love in you. That's the only reason he was after you," Sasuke finished. That was close enough to the truth for now.

Sakura considered this silently. "That doesn't justify anything," she began, "but it does bring me a small sense of relief."

A nostalgic silence settled over the trio as they contemplated everything that had happened to them. From the day they'd met to this very moment…their lives had always been destined to be intertwined. No matter how far apart they traveled or how many bitter words came between them – nothing could separate them forever. None of them could have come this far without the others, and they all knew that.

"I'm so glad you're both here with me," Naruto said softly. "It was tough when everyone left. My days were so lonely, and it got hard to push on sometimes. But my memories of you guys and the thought that we would be reunited again brightened my day every time I was down."

Sakura smiled, grabbing his hand. "I'm grateful you both found me again and brought my back into your lives. I wasn't living a life when I was…doing that. I was just an animated corpse. But you two have made me want to live again."

Sasuke placed his hands within each of theirs. "When we moved away, I was so traumatized by my parents' deaths and so obsessed with being on the police force that I barely stopped to think about friends. I didn't think I needed anyone besides Itachi. But now that we're back and have been through so much, I realize how desolate my life really was. I would never have solved this case without you both. I wouldn't be who I am today without you. I _need_ you guys."

Saying it out loud made him realize how true it really was. He did need them. And he knew that he would always have them.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

_Saturday, 10 November 1888_

"Take that!" Iruka declared triumphantly, throwing down his hand. It was a royal flush. The trio stared at him in disbelief.

"You can't be serious. This is the fourth game in a row you've won!" Sakura objected.

"It's a little too fishy," Naruto huffed. "You must be cheating!"

Iruka leaned back smugly as he gathered the cards together to shuffle them. "No cheating whatsoever. I'm a renowned poker champion."

Sasuke opened his mouth to make a snide comment when the hospital door opened and Itachi walked in.

"Itachi?" Iruka exclaimed, smiling.

"You're finally back!" Naruto cheered, sitting up straighter and wincing in the process.

Itachi offered a genuine smile in return. It wasn't strained like usual and the slight wrinkles at the sides of his mouth were relaxed. "I'm back," he confirmed, "and I have good news."

"What is it?" Sasuke asked eagerly.

"Let's just say that Orochimaru isn't getting off the hook that easily," Itachi said with a smirk.

"But I never told you about Orochimaru's involvement," Sasuke said with surprise.

"I figured it out on my own. As I told you before, I thought that someone who knew me personally framed me, and I thought it was Jiraiya. But then I began to think that he couldn't have done it on his own – any of it. Someone had to be covering for him, someone who had some influence. So I found out the name of the person who accused me and searched for him. It was difficult, but after asking around I eventually found him. He's a vagrant named John Randall. He has very little contact with the outside world, so it makes sense that Orochimaru would recruit him. I offered him protection from Orochimaru and a decent amount of money in exchange for his truthful account. He agreed and gave his statement."

"So Orochimaru will be punished now?" Sasuke asked excitedly. "Everyone will know him for the snake that he is?"

"Not exactly," Itachi said, frowning slightly. "Randall knew nothing of Orochimaru's association with Jiraiya, so I couldn't charge him with anything like that. However, Orochimaru has lost his position as detective inspector and is banished from the police force for life. He's also serving some jail time."

"So he's going to get away with the Jack the Ripper murders," Sasuke growled.

"Unfortunately, yes," Itachi said regretfully. "But at least he can't do any more harm. He's been disgraced and has lost all his power, which is the worst thing we could do to him. Don't worry yourself over him, Sasuke."

Hesitantly, Sasuke nodded. Iruka smiled and squeezed his shoulder. "This is a reason to celebrate," he urged. "Itachi is back with us and evil is getting what it deserves. With all that's been happening, it seems now that the darkness has all but retreated and the dawn is coming." Iruka's soft smile was contagious; Sasuke couldn't help but mimic it. "Itachi, would you care to help us celebrate by joining us for a few more rounds of cards?"

Shrugging off his coat, Itachi took a seat between Sakura and Naruto. "I'll give you fair warning that I'm probably going to win."

"Challenge accepted!" Iruka cried.

The trio exchanged looks of amusement. Sasuke bet his money on Itachi. Naruto was betting on Iruka. Sakura decided it would be more fun to watch the two boys lose their money than lose her own.

Multiple games of cards, much needed laughter, and one sunset later, Iruka and Itachi were buttoning up their coats to leave and Naruto's eyes were beginning to droop.

"We'll see you two back at the house," Iruka said. "And Naruto – make sure you go to sleep soon so that you're rested enough to come home tomorrow."

"I'm not tired!" Naruto half-heartedly objected as his head lolled back.

Iruka rolled his eyes, smiling affectionately. After they left Sasuke and Sakura began to get up also.

"Wait, don't go yet," Naruto protested softly, squinting through tired eyes. "Stay with me 'till I fall asleep. Please."

"Which will be any minute," Sakura teased, reclaiming her seat.

"Don't mock me," Naruto mumbled, allowing his fighting eyelids to finally relax.

"But it's fun," Sasuke grinned.

"Meanie," Naruto murmured, snuggling deeper into the blankets. "It was good to see Itachi. It made me happy…it was just like the old days, with all of us laughing together."

Smiling, Sakura lightly brushed his blonde bangs to the side. "Not the old days anymore. The new days."

"The new days," Naruto whispered. "I like that."

A few moments later Naruto's breathing slowed and deepened. Exchanging a look, Sasuke and Sakura quietly gathered their things and turned off the light. They stepped out into the night. The sky was perfectly clear, revealing every twinkling star.

"It's beautiful," Sakura breathed.

"It is," Sasuke agreed.

"I never would've noticed the stars before," Sakura said. "Their beauty, I mean. Even though I wandered beneath them for hours every night, I never appreciated how bright they were. But I do now." She stopped walking, turning to look at Sasuke. "Things are going to be a lot different now."

"Yes, they are. But for the better."

Sakura cocked her head to the side. "Did you mean what you said before? About marrying me?"

"Every word," he replied without hesitation. "I love you and I always will, and I want to protect you for as long as I live."

Smiling, Sakura gently took his hands in hers. "And I love you and want to keep you safe for as long as I live."

"Looks like we'll both have to live pretty long lives then, huh?"

"Looks like it."

Squeezing each other's hands affectionately, their lips pressed firmly but gently together. They pulled apart slowly, resting their foreheads against each other's. Under the light of the starts, sharing the warmth of the person they loved the most – they were happy. All of the pain and tragedy in their lives had led them to this moment. This – this was the dawn of their new life.

They were alive, they were happy, and they were together, and that was all they needed.

xXxJackTheRipperxXx

Sasuke had expected it to rain. It was raining when he died, putting out the flames he'd ignited. It only made sense that it would rain now to douse the dying embers. But it was perfectly dry on the day of Jiraiya's funeral. The sky was bleak and few people came to pay their respects. Those who attended were himself, Naruto, Iruka, Sakura, Itachi, Shikamaru, Kabuto, and a handful of Jiraiya's friends and family. Sasuke knew Jiraiya had more acquaintances than that, but few were willing to be seen at the burial of a murderer.

Iruka, Itachi, and the trio were the last to place their white roses in front of the elaborate gray memorial. The last to say their goodbyes. The only ones to promise to return. But Sasuke had more to say in privacy.

When everyone else had left he remained, tracing the inscription with his fingers. "Jiraiya Lemmens," he whispered. Nothing on the memorial hinted at his other darker identity, but it didn't need to. His name would be tainted forever, written in blood on the enormous wall of History. Infamy was his price to pay.

"I don't know if you can hear me," Sasuke said, "but I have a lot to say. First, I want to thank you for telling me the truth. I needed to know, even if I didn't want to." There was silence, as if the wind was waiting for him to continue. He cleared his throat. "I also want to tell you that I forgive you, for everything you've done. I'm not justifying any of it, but if I hate you for it forever, then I'll be linking my own chains." He paused again, taking a deep breath. These next words weren't easy, but they needed to be said out loud. If he didn't, he could never move on. "I won't say I love you, because I don't. But I can't change my history, so I'm not going to pretend. You were my real father, and I accept that. I accept that you…loved me…and I'm grateful for that."

Exhaling slowly, a sense of relief washed over him. His chest felt lighter now, and his heart higher. The cold breeze, which had been still until now, caressed the side of his face lightly. As if Jiraiya's spirit was reaching out to him through nature…saying goodbye.

"But the most important reason I came here is to tell you that I'm not going to let your fire consume Whitechapel and everyone in it. I'm going to rebuild it and make the lives of the people here better…make it better for the next generation. I'm going to make sure that no one else becomes what you did, and that no one else does what you have done."

Turning his back to the memorial, Sasuke tilted his face toward the sky. The gray curtain was parting and a small ray of sunlight was streaming through.

Whitechapel may have gone up in flames, but Sasuke was going to burn those ashes and release the phoenix within.


End file.
